Posts

The three revolutions of public procurement in Africa

By Edwin MuhumuzaFirst published on Open Contracting Partnership Public procurement is like the heartbeat of public spending in most of Africa – by some estimates, it accounts for 17% of the GDP of African countries.  There is growing recognition that the public procurement system can be a strong force for policy implementation, helping to tackle Read more >

Ways to get involved in Parliament as a member of the public

Parliament, in its own words, “is the place where the members of Parliament [MPs] look after your interests.” It is only just, therefore, that Parliament allows public participation and oversight so that people can rest assured that MPs do indeed have the nation’s interests at heart. This is vital in a well-functioning democracy, because MPs Read more >

Beneficial ownership and climate crimes: A fishy business

By Matti KohonenFirst published on Tax Justice Network In this blog we explore how climate justice and tax justice advocates can unite and demand beneficial ownership transparency for sectors prone to climate crimes.  As the Tax Justice Network has previously noted, the climate crisis and financial secrecy are closely connected. Immense pressure and a set Read more >

CW report further underscores need for public procurement reform

Image by Freepik Corruption Watch’s recent Procurement Risk Trends 2023 report records the alarming rate at which state organs use the practice of deviations and contract expansions in public procurement, and not always for good purposes. While it clarifies that there may be perfectly valid reasons for deviating from a prescribed procurement procedure or for Read more >

Latest CW report tracks procurement risk trends

Corruption Watch (CW), working with procurement law expert Professor Geo Quinot of Stellenbosch University, released Procurement Risk Trends 2023, the third such report, following the first two that were published in 2021 and 2022, respectively. These reports, which cover the period between 2016 and 2023, specifically focus on trends in public procurement deviations and contract expansions. Read more >

Fine qualifications alone do not a public protector make

The unprecedented removal of Busisiwe Mkhwebane as public protector highlights the importance of selecting the right person for a job – especially one of such importance – through a rigorous process that disregards party or cadre issues and focuses solely on merit and suitability. Never before has a South African public protector been removed from Read more >

Phala Phala findings ‘raise more questions than answers’ – CSOs

Image: Ziphozonke Lushaba, TimesLive By Khanyisile NgcoboFirst published on TImesLive Civil society organisations say “something doesn’t add up” in the South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB) findings on the Phala Phala matter and it “raises more questions than answers”. The Reserve Bank on Monday released its findings from a report into the matter after allegations by Read more >