Posts

Marikana caught in politicised food parcels storm

Image: Sabeehah Motala By Valencia Talane A community in Marikana, Rustenburg, in the North West is learning the hard way the cost of being poor and not politically connected during the Covid-19 lockdown. They are caught up in a political storm that is costing them the most urgent need, food. And a ward councillor in Read more >

CSOs request resumption of Zondo hearings

UPDATE, June 2020: In a letter dated 15 June, the Zondo Commission replied to the Civil Society Working Group on State Capture to say that despite the strict lockdown regulations, the commission was able to do a substantial amount of work remotely in the weeks since the country shut down. The letter reiterated that hearings Read more >

Covid-19 and corruption – two risks, one opportunity

By Peter GloverFirst published on the Global Anti-corruption Blog The immediate consequences of Covid-19 are visible and visceral for everybody, even as some feel the effects more than others. In addition to reshaping everyday life, Covid-19 will also transform global governance – including with respect to corruption and related issues. In this post I want Read more >

CW warns of opacity in emergency procurement measures

Corruption Watch, in fulfilling its commitment to ensuring accountability and the integrity of public finances, sent a letter to National Treasury (NT) on Thursday, 7 May 2020, expressing its concern regarding the repeal and release of different instruction notes relating to emergency procurement under COVID-19. The release of successive instruction notes has created legal uncertainty Read more >

Governance lessons from responses to Covid-19

By David Lewis First published on Maverick Citizen The formulation and implementation of economic policy are too important to be left to state officials and market participants alone. It requires the intelligence and knowledge of the citizens. The most effective source of the intelligence that should guide economic and social policy-making are community activists and Read more >

CW welcomes R500bn stimulus, cautions against corruption

Corruption Watch welcomes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement on 21 April 2020 of a range of social and economic measures to the tune of R500-billion, to counteract the severe impact of the coronavirus pandemic. There is no doubt that the human, social and economic cost of the current lockdown has already taken a heavy toll, in Read more >

Know your rights when dealing with police

Do you know what to do if you encounter a corrupt police officer, who asks you for a bribe? What happens if you’re arrested? Do you know what police abuse of power looks like? In each situation, you have clearly defined rights, and these may not be ignored. During the Covid-19 lockdown, when residents are Read more >

CW annual report: Public fights corruption in key sectors

Corruption Watch (CW) today released its latest annual corruption report. Titled The Writing is on the Wall, it shows how throughout 2019, the public continued to expose corrupt individuals intent on abusing their power and looting public resources in key sectors. The 3 694 whistle-blower reports in 2019 highlighted how individuals were robbed of access to Read more >

Covid-19 – some personal musings and impressions

One thing about being at home at a time like this is that it gives one plenty of opportunity to think, discuss and debate the issue at hand. My standout impressions thus far are that there is a lot of deliberate fear-mongering, some instances of defiance of the authorities who are trying to contain this Read more >