Corruption Watch is a South African anti-corruption non-profit organisation that sets out to monitor and expose acts of corruption that involve public resources and donated charitable resources in South Africa. The various focus areas in which the organisation monitors and exposes corruption include corruption in the education sector, police corruption, leadership appointments (mainly in institutions that support democracy), corruption in the mining applications processes and its effects of communities, corruption in land ownership and tenure, beneficial ownership transparency, and public procurement. Whistleblowers are an essential source for the organisation as their whole operational mode is built upon reports received from whistleblowers.

Corruption Watch is the official South African chapter of Transparency International. (It is unrelated to the UK company formerly known as Corruption Watch Ltd.)

History

Corruption Watch (SA) was launched in January 2012 at the initiative of trade union federation COSATU (the Congress of South African Trade Unions)."COSATU welcomes launch of Corruption Watch" Corruption Watch, (26 January 2012). Retrieved 28 June 2024. The launch, held at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg, was attended by a range of government officials, including former minister of Justice and Correctional Services of South Africa Jeff Radebe, civil society and business leaders including Jay Naidoo, Mark Haywood, Mary Metcalfe, and Njongonkulu Ndungane, and a range of mainstream media organisations.

In his keynote speech, former COSATU secretary-general Zwelinzima Vavi lauded Corruption Watch as a "Critical intervention of COSATU and civil society that will help empower our people and successfully mobilise them." Radebe also spoke,"Jeff Radebe's speech at the Construction Watch launch" Corruption Watch, (30 January 2012). Retrieved 28 June 2024. decrying corruption as a "cancer" in South African society. David Lewis, founding executive director of Corruption Watch, said: "We have formed this organisation to enable citizens to report and confront public and private sector individuals abusing their power and position.""The 'How': David Lewis" Corruption Watch, (30 January 2012). Retrieved 28 June 2024.

Land and Corruption in Africa Land and Corruption in Africa is a decade-long Transparency International research project into the connection between land and corruption in Africa."Land and corruption in Africa: A Transparency International project", Corruption Watch. Retrieved 28 June 2024. Phase one, rolled out from 2014 to 2019, yielded rich country-by-country research on land corruption risks and the impact on citizens across 10 countries in Africa: Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Corruption Watch is the South Africa lead for the project and works with various civil society and private and public sector representatives. A second phase of the project (2021-2025) is currently under way and has resulted in a research report and podcast."Land Corruption and Discrimination: Research findings South Africa", Corruption Watch. Retrieved 28 June 2024."Land and corruption in Africa 2: Telling stories of the marginalised", Corruption Watch. Retrieved 28 June 2024.

Zondo Commission

In 2016, Corruption Watch added its voice to calls for the resignation of former President Zuma, stating that he was not doing enough to prevent corruption by public officials."Luminaries, Comrades and Objectors: A growing army of Zuma’s opponents". South African News, 20 April 2016

Corruption Watch monitored the Zondo Commission, a public inquiry established in January 2018 by former President Jacob Zuma to investigate allegations of state capture, corruption, and fraud in the public sector in South Africa. Corruption Watch produced various updates and reports." Zondo Commission: Updates, analysis and other material" (22 April 2021), Corruption Watch. Retrieved 28 June 2024.

South African Arms Deal Corruption Watch monitored developments arising from the South African Arms Deal,The Arms Deal: What you need to know", Corruption Watch. Retrieved 28 June 2024. including the work of the Seriti Commission, a challenge to the commission's report brought by Corruption Watch and Right2Know,"CW and R2K challenge Seriti Commission", Corruption Watch. Retrieved 28 June 2024. and the subsequent successful review in 2019"CW and R2K celebrate arms deal victory in court today" (21 August 2019), Corruption Watch. Retrieved 28 June 2024. and the setting aside of the report."Seriti Commission's findings set aside" (21 August 2019), Corruption Watch. Retrieved 28 June 2024.

Activities Corruption Watch is funded by donations from a range of private philanthropic foundations and businesses. It has a small staff of fewer than 30 people and is located in Rosebank, Johannesburg.

the Corruption Watch board comprises Themba Maseko (chairperson), Marianne Giddy, Bridgitte Mdangayi, Zukiswa Kota, and Karabo Rajuili.

Corruption Watch monitors and exposes corruption in areas including corruption in the education sector, police corruption, leadership appointments (mainly in institutions that support democracy), corruption in the mining applications processes and its effects of communities, corruption in land ownership and tenure, beneficial ownership transparency, and public procurement. It operates a reporting system which encourages members of the public to share their experiences of corruption through SMS, fax, e-mail or online through its website, mobi-site, or Facebook page. It is modelled on similar schemes like I Paid A Bribe in India.I paid a Bribe. Retrieved 28 June 2024. The organisation uses this information from the public in various ways, including research, preparing contributions to legislative or policy development, undertaking strategic litigation on matters that are in the public interest, investigating a selected number of reports (of necessity this number is limited because of resource constraints), developing campaigns, and more.

Corruption Watch collaborates with various South African institutions that are charged with supporting democracy or dealing with corruption, such as the National Prosecuting Authority, the Public Protector, and the Special Investigating Unit.

Current and former representatives of Corruption Watch sit on various national anti-corruption advisory panels, such as the Border Management and Immigration Anti-Corruption Forum Infrastructure Built Anti-Corruption Forum, the Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum, and the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council.

Whistle-blowers are the primary source of information for Corruption Watch but sometimes the organisation conducts its own investigations and reports are created based on those findings."Pule abused influence – Business Times". IT in government, Johannesburg, 27 Oct 2013 The key reports that Corruption Watch produces are annual reports, the Analysis of Corruption Trends (ACT) report series, sectoral reports - one each year - each focusing on a different sector, the Transparency in Corporate Reporting (TRAC) report series, and various research reports."Reading and media room" Corruption Watch. Retrieved 28 June 2024. Corruption Watch also produces public education material, usually related to their campaigns or with current focus areas."Toolkits and handbooks" Corruption Watch. Retrieved 28 June 2024.

Communication Corruption Watch provides a platform for reporting corruption. Anyone can safely share what they experience and observe and can speak out against corruption. The available communication channels include Corruption Watch's website, a WhatsApp number, social media, e-mail or post. Walk-ins are permitted; however, they are limited to certain days, namely Mondays and Tuesdays as the team mostly works remotely due to COVID-19.

Investigation The organisation investigates selected reports of alleged acts of corruption, in particular those cases that have the most serious impact on society. For instance, these may be cases involving basic health or education services which affect the most disadvantaged South Africans. Corruption Watch hands its findings over to the relevant authorities to take further action, and monitors the progress of each case. The organisation also collaborates with mainstream and community media to make sure that corruption is fully exposed through its investigative work.

Research Corruption Watch gathers and analyses information to identify patterns and hot spots of corruption. The organisation prepares research reports on these hot spots to expose and find solutions to systemic corruption. Using its own communication platforms and the media, Corruption Watch shares its findings with the public, like-minded non-governmental organisations, and public sector bodies, all of which are stakeholders in the fight against corruption.

Mobilisation Corruption Watch builds campaigns that mobilise people to take a stand against corruption. Campaigns involve the public, community groups, and other organisations such as civil society entities.

Other activities Corruption Watch contributes to policy and legislation. It was involved in the 2018 People's Tribunal on Economic Crime."The People's Tribunal on Economic Crime" (8 February 2018), Corruption Watch. Retrieved 28 June 2024. It has produced E-books for youth readers."Download our Fundza Youth Stories as E-books" (8 December 2020), Corruption Watch. Retrieved 28 June 2024.

It has also undertaken strategic litigation that is in the public interest. Recent focus areas have included Parliament of South Africa in the case of Commission for Gender Equality appointments, South African Social Security Agency social grants, Sanral in Cape Town, the Richard Mdluli matter, and the Eskom delinquency case.

The organisation also promotes public involvement in the political process, especially voting in elections, contributing to legislation development, and monitoring appointments to key crime- and corruption-fighting institutions, including Chapter 9 institutions and law enforcement institutions."How a quiet, wonky lawyer became South Africa’s corruption-buster". Washington Post. Krista Mahr 13 June and lobbies for the development of regulatory processes for transparency in government spending."Swiss bankers swear they are trying to help Africa get its dirty money back". Quartz africa, Peter Fabricius, 13 June 2016

Technology projects Corruption Watch has developed three data tools which focus on corruption.

Veza tool The Veza tool is an interactive website that equips people with the knowledge and insight to demand better and more accountable policing.Welcome to Veza, a Corruption Watch project. Retrieved 28 June 2024. Features include a map of corruption hotspots related to policing, information relating to public rights when encountering the police in various situations,"Know your rights. Retrieved 28 June 2024. and data on all police stations across the country, such as locations, resources, budget and personnel. It also enables users to rate and review police stations based on personal experiences, to compare resources of up to four stations, to commend honest and ethical police officers, and to report incidents of corruption and police misconduct that are immediately geo-located through the tool.

Procurement Watch