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PRESS RELEASES

CW welcomes ConCourt decision on secret ballot

22 June 2017 Corruption Watch welcomes ConCourt decision confirming speaker’s power to grant a secret ballot Corruption Watch welcomes today’s Constitutional Court ruling on the United Democratic Movement’s application for a secret ballot in the motion of no confidence against President Jacob Zuma. The court’s confirmation that the National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete does have Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Why SA’s courts cannot rein in a delinquent government

By Cathleen Powell First published on The Conversation Africa South Africans sighed with relief when the Constitutional Court recently handed down a judgment in the country’s social grant saga, averting a catastrophic constitutional crisis. About 17-million social grant beneficiaries would not be left without support. Unfortunately, while the court saved the country from one constitutional Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Take part in our public protector persona survey!

Public participation in the appointment of a new public protector – and other positions that require similar processes – is written into the Constitution. In chapter nine, section 193 (appointment of the public protector or member of any commission established under chapter nine) it states that “(6) The involvement of civil society in the recommendation Read more >

OPINIONS

Court has done its bit, now it’s up to politics

by Steven Friedman First published in Business Day For not the first time, many of us seem to need reminding that the Constitutional Court’s job is to make sure politicians stick to the rules — not to do their jobs for them. Last week’s Constitutional Court judgment deserves the cheers that greeted it — it Read more >

LITIGATION

CW welcomes ConCourt Nkandla ruling

Corruption Watch applauds today’s Constitutional Court judgment which finds that the rulings of the Public Protector are binding and can only be set aside upon judicial review. The judgment reinforces the provision in the Constitution for all organs of state to protect and promote the Chapter 9 institutions. This includes taking positive steps to safeguard Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Pikoli: judiciary is under attack

Source: University of Johannesburg The University of Johannesburg (UJ) hosted the ninth Annual Helen Joseph Memorial Lecture on Thursday, 27 August 2015. This year’s speaker, Advocate Vusi Pikoli, tackled the question: Is an independent judiciary a threat to democracy? Pikoli is currently the Western Cape police ombudsman, and was the national director of public prosecutions Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Political parties: the missing link in our constitution?

By Kate O’Regan Justice of the Constitutional Court (1994 – 2009) Introduction The Constitution of the United States of America is 7 000 words long. Nowhere does it mention political parties. And that was not because the question did not arise. James Madison, in The Federalist No 10, characterised “factions”, his reference to political parties, Read more >

DEAR CORRUPTION WATCH

Migrants have rights in refugee process

Dear Corruption Watch, So many immigrants seeking refuge, opportunity and a future in South Africa are greeted with contempt and “xenophobia” that it’s a wonder we still have so many applications for asylum. But I’m hearing that in addition to such indignities, refugees must pay bribes to become documented aliens. Don’t our laws protecting people’s Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Learning from the example of past presidents

By Judith February One of the defining moments of Nelson Mandela’s presidency was when he took the stand in the case of the President of the RSA and Others versus South African Rugby Football Union (Sarfu) and Others in 1999. The year before, Mandela appointed a commission to investigate allegations of racism, nepotism and corruption against Sarfu, Read more >