From Public Servants to Predators: How Joburg's Utility Workers Have Weaponised The Grid

A simple call to get a power line fixed cost this resident R40,000, money she had to take out of her bond.That is the story of one Parkhurst resident extorted by people wearing City Power's authority but not its uniform. The R40, 000 was ostensibly for back payments she owed (she actually owed nothing), but she was told that she would not get her power back until she paid them.Her neighbour lost power for four days because her "reconnection" left them disconnected instead. A former employee says he has been extorted to the tune of R2.6 million since 2020, by people he names as his own former colleagues. He is now living with death threats against his children.This is not load shedding. This is not even ordinary corruption. This is City Power and Eskom workers using the grid itself as a weapon against the people who pay for it.Our latest article looks at what happens when public infrastructure becomes a tool for extortion, why the people meant to protect citizens are the ones preying on them, and what it will take to stop it.Click below to read the full article.https://lnkd.in/deeXucYF

How To Build A South Africa Worth Staying For

South Africans have been leaving in significant numbers since 1994, when fear and uncertainty over what the future might look like in “the new South Africa” had thousands “packing for Perth.”People leave the countries of their birth all the time, for multiple reasons. It’s seldom a decision taken lightly, and even those who leave as refugees, forced from their homes through life-threatening conflict, do so with heavy hearts, while still holding onto a fierce, if faint, hope that one day, they might return.South Africa, somehow, feels different. We aren’t technically at war, but we are without doubt a conflicted country.Exact numbers are hard to come by, but estimates say between 1.15 and 1.55 million South Africans have emigrated in the past 30 years.Although this so-called Brain Drain slowed towards the end of the millennium, the past few years have seen it slowly creeping up again. Skilled South Africans are seemingly always looking for ways to escape the very real challenges of rampant crime, an unstable electricity supply, declining public service delivery and economic uncertainty, among others.And yet, there are many others who are staying put, determined to build a country people want to live in.Click on the link to read the full article - https://lnkd.in/ddS2NTdZ

The Deadly Cost of Telling The Truth

The senseless and cowardly assassination of one of the forensic investigation profession’s most courageous souls both saddens and outrages me. It is obviously a tragic personal loss to his loved ones, but it is also a searing blow to all who believe in integrity, accountability and justice.I’ve written previously on the increasing number of deadly attacks on whistleblowers in South Africa who risked everything to expose corruption, often at the highest levels. But the recent murder of fellow professional Mpho Kabasi Mafole hit me harder than most.Mpho was the Group Divisional Head of Corporate and Group Forensic Audits at the City of Ekurhuleni. He stood fearlessly on the frontlines of one of the most difficult and dangerous battles in our country - the fight against corruption. His death is a stark reminder of the very real and present danger faced by the brave men and women who dedicate their lives to exposing the truth and challenging entrenched wrongdoing.At his recent funeral, Ekurhuleni mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza hinted that his murder could be linked to the City’s R2bn revenue shortfall and the controversial R190m refurbishing of a building in Germiston that to date has cost the city over R300m. There has, at the time of writing, been no official confirmation or denial of this veiled allegation.Click below to read the full articlehttps://lnkd.in/gfhGrz6Y

Is the civil service wage balloon about to pop?

Earn more, do less…nice work if you can get it!South Africa has the third-highest government wage bill of 20 major global economies when taken as a share of GDP. That’s according to studies by both the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. That means we spend more on paying our civil servants than the UK, US, Australia and Japan, all of which have economies far greater than ours, and infrastructure and service delivery levels many levels higher.Adding insult to injury is the fact that South Africa’s public servants are due to receive a 5.5% salary increase in the current financial year, costing thegovernment (well, actually, the taxpayer) R23.3 billion over the next threeyears. This is just the latest in a long history of salaries that have increased fasterthan headline inflation, putting huge strain on the government’s finances.Click below to read the full article:https://lnkd.in/d5Veuagx

South Africa: A Country of Contradictions

On paper, South Africa is a model country. Our Constitution is widely regarded as one of the most progressive and transformative in the world, noted particularly for its emphasis on human rights and equality. Our Constitutional court is also globally respected, hailed for its robust application of local and international laws to interpret and protect people’s rights.Our Constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and outlaws racism and sexism. In 2006, for example, South Africa became the first country in Africa – and only the 5th in the world – to legalise same-sex marriage.And yet, our own President, Cyril Ramaphosa, recently admitted that “There is a disconnect between the Constitution and the lived reality of South Africans.” He made the remark in a keynote address marking the 30th anniversary of the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg last month.He went on to say, “The reality we must confront is that there are significant challenges with constitutionalism today. The promise of the Constitution is far from fully realised. Persistent inequality, threats to judicial independence, lack of implementation of court orders, and erosion of trust in institutions remain pressing challenges.”Which leaves us asking, “what good is a world-leading constitution if it cannot be implemented?”It’s just one of many contradictions that plague South Africa. Unfortunately, there are many others.Click on the link below to read the full article: https://lnkd.in/dPw3wvnF

Navigating Ethical Issues in Financial Crime Forensics

In today’s technologically driven world, forensic technology plays a crucial role in combating financial crime. These advanced tools enable the detection, investigation, and prevention of various financial offenses, from fraud and embezzlement to money laundering and insider trading

The Power of Seamless Integration

The seamless functioning of an organization hinges on the alignment of its policies and procedures and the consistent and unbiased application of its rules. For CEOs, CFOs, and heads of compliance, this is not just a regulatory requirement but a strategic imperative.

A Call To Action To The New GNU- Get Us Off The Greylist

Being greylisted is killing our country, this is why!
The bottom line is that staying on the grey list hampers economic growth and deters foreign investment, making it imperative for both the government and businesses to intensify compliance efforts.

Our Business Depends On You To Survive and Thrive: A Letter to Employees

Dear Team,
In our volatile economy, doing the right thing matters more than ever. Our success doesn’t just depend on what we do; it’s about how we do it. That’s why ethical behaviour and following company rules isn’t a just a nice thing to do, it is a MUST—it’s a way to keep our jobs safe and our company strong. Each of us plays a crucial role, so we need to do the right thing, every day.

Compliance Culture: Your Shield Against Economic Crime

In the bustling arena of South African business, the fight against economic crime is a relentless battle that requires more than just legal adherence; it demands the cultivation of a robust culture of compliance. This culture, rooted in integrity and ethical conduct, serves as a shield against the threats that businesses face.