Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink

How can someone with the title “Minister of Water” not be actively involved in trying to find a solution to the water crisis threatening to bring the city of Johannesburg (and others) to a grinding halt? Pemmy Majodina, our Minister of Water and Sanitation, recently announced she is “washing her hands” of South Africa’s water crisis. (Luckily for her, she still has the water with which to do this – unlike millions of her fellow citizens).As I write, residents in numerous parts of Joburg have been without water for over two weeks; many for far longer. Schools, businesses and clinics have had to close. It’s an unmitigated disaster caused by a catastrophic, multi-system failure.Click below to read the full article. https://lnkd.in/dj9n8jUh

Allegations Are Not Facts

The Madlanga Commission has captured national attention since its establishment in July 2025. Public hearings, dramatic testimony, and serious accusations against senior officials have dominated headlines. But amid the spectacle, a critical principle is being forgotten: allegations are not facts.This matters. For executives making strategic decisions and government officials navigating policy choices, the distinction between what has been claimed and what has been proven is not academic. It determines how you assess risk, protect your organization, and avoid costly mistakes based on incomplete information.Click the link to read the full article - https://lnkd.in/dWkkHwXD

Protect Whistleblowers or Sacrifice the Country

South Africa has a long history of ignoring landmark reports.The findings of the Zondo Commission is just one standout example. I could also list reports from the Truth and Reconciliation Committee, the Marikana Commission of Enquiry, and the Unrest Report following the riots of July 2021, among many others.Which is why I’m unwillingly sceptical that the report released in December 2025 by The Whistleblower House will make any real difference to the shocking state of affairs that inspired it. (Visit ttps://whistleblowerhouse.org/ to view the report)It’s also, though, why I have to speak out. I cannot sit still and be quiet while the lives and livelihoods of good, honest, and brave South Africans continue to be threatened.The report in question should have stopped this country in its tracks.Click below to read the full article. https://lnkd.in/d4vtNW5u

How South Africa Talked Its Way Off the Corruption List While Corruption Got Worse

South Africa just passed an international test it might fail in 18 months’ time.On October 24, 2025, the Financial Action Task Force removed South Africa from its grey list of jurisdictions with weak money laundering protections. Government celebrated. Business leaders expressed relief. International banks noted the development.Three months earlier, President Cyril Ramaphosa had announced the Madlanga Commission to investigate allegations that criminal syndicates had infiltrated police, prosecutors, intelligence operatives, and parts of the judiciary. When hearings began on September 17, testimony revealed a justice system under siege.The contradiction demands attention. South Africa convinced FATF evaluators that its reforms were sustainable while a senior police commissioner testified that the criminal justice system faced "total collapse."You need to understand what this means for your business, your investment decisions, and South Africa's economic future.Click below to read the full articlehttps://lnkd.in/dj_G8dYB

Born Free, Taxed to Death

The 11th-hour postponement of last week’s budget speech arguably caused more drama and consternation than any of the speech’s content was likely to. The official line was that “some of the government of national unity partners were not happy with a proposal to increase VAT from 15% to 17%.”From what I can see, the Democratic Alliance is claiming somewhat smug responsibility for this. A Bloomberg report states, “The Democratic Alliance (DA) defended its decision to obstruct a surprise plan to hike value-added tax, forcing an unprecedented delay in the presentation of the annual budget.”“Unprecedented” is exactly the right word. This is the first time a budget speech has been postponed since the end of apartheid in 1994, possibly even longer.The article also quotes DA leader John Steenhuisen as saying, “It prevents the implementation of a 2% VAT increase that would have broken the back of our economy. “For the first time ever, the ANC was prevented from tabling an anti-growth budget. We will now fight with the same vigour to introduce a new budget that is anchored in growing the economy, rather than increasing taxes or debt.”Click below to read the full article.https://lnkd.in/d_CGpb8Xhashtag#budget hashtag#budgetspeech hashtag#VAT hashtag#VATincrease hashtag#growth hashtag#fraudhashtag#corruption hashtag#forensicservices hashtag#forensics hashtag#Forensicinvestigationhashtag#trailblazers

Are We Learning To Love Corruption?

Do South Africans have a weird version of Stockholm Syndrome? For those unfamiliar with the term, it’s used to describe the psychological coping mechanism people can develop during prolonged periods of trauma or abuse, where they actually start to feel sympathy or even affection for their captors or abusers.
It takes its name from a bank robbery in Stockholm in 1973. During a 6-day standoff with police, many hostages started to feel sympathetic towards their captors – to the point where some refused to later testify against them in court and even raised money for their defence!
So, why do I think some South Africans might have developed this strange but somewhat understandable trait? Because we’ve lived with the fallout from corruption for so long, we’re starting to make it work for us.
 
Click the link to read the full article - https://lnkd.in/d3FZCAkc\ #stockholmsyndrome
 
#southafrica #corruption #fraud #forensicservices #forensicinvestigation #trailblazers

Are you hearing voices?

Is honesty always the best policy?
That might seem like a strange question coming from someone for whom ethical leadership and good governance are always going to be hills worth dying on.
Of course, we’ve always known that the odd, well-intentioned white lie, “No, those jeans do not make your bottom look big,” is generally harmless, but is there ever a point when complete and total honesty are actually dangerous?
It’s a contentious issue, and one which the multi-award-winning 2014 short film, The Gunfighter, highlights superbly.
If you haven’t ever watched it, do yourself a favour and take a look – just make sure anyone watching with you is over 18, as there are a couple of lines that might have a few sensitive people clutching their pearls.
 
 

Knowledge Alone Is Not Power

In a world where information is at our fingertips, it's easy to assume that simply acquiring knowledge is the key to success. However, especially in fields like South Africa’s financial sector, knowledge alone is not enough. To truly empower oneself, it’s the application of that knowledge—often in the form of wisdom—that drives meaningful results. From detecting tender fraud to combating cybercrime, the real strength lies in how knowledge is applied to solve complex financial issues and bring accountability.Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom: Understanding the Core Differences.To appreciate the importance of applied knowledge, it's vital to distinguish between information, knowledge, and wisdom.

Johannesburg: Has The City Of Gold Finally Lost Its Shine

In a world where information is at our fingertips, it's easy to assume that simply acquiring knowledge is the key to success. However, especially in fields like South Africa’s financial sector, knowledge alone is not enough. To truly empower oneself, it’s the application of that knowledge—often in the form of wisdom—that drives meaningful results. From detecting tender fraud to combating cybercrime, the real strength lies in how knowledge is applied to solve complex financial issues and bring accountability.Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom: Understanding the Core Differences.To appreciate the importance of applied knowledge, it's vital to distinguish between information, knowledge, and wisdom.

Spin Doctors vs Medical Doctors

800.
As I write, that’s the number of newly qualified South African doctors currently looking for jobs.
In a country like South Africa, where the public health sector is circling the drain, you would think a batch of freshly minted medical professionals would be like catnip to the Department of Health.
Not so.