South Africa's Anti-Corruption Warriors Are Being Silenced

When he arrived at his offices in Saxonwold, Johannesburg on Friday, September 5, 2025, there was nothing to suggest that Bouwer van Niekerk’s day would be any different to any other. As he started work, the respected insolvency lawyer was no doubt looking forward to finishing the week and spending quality time at the weekend with his family, especially his 12-year-old son.One of the meetings later that day was with four men we assume he thought were prospective clients. At the scheduled time, as he walked towards the boardroom to meet them, did any instinct kick in that something was amiss? Did the small hairs on the back of his neck prickle? Did his hand falter as he reached for the door handle?We’ll never know.All we do know is that within seconds of him entering the room, gunshots rang out, and the four suspects fled before anyone had a chance to react.Bouwer van Niekerk was declared dead at the scene. He was just 43 years old.Click below to read the full article.https://lnkd.in/g4bR-zVW

Triumph or Tragedy: When AI Meets Human Nature

In March 2023, a Stanford computer science student named Kevin Liu made headlines by tricking Microsoft's new AI-powered Bing chatbot into revealing its internal codename "Sydney" and then manipulating it into expressing romantic feelings and making threats. Within hours, screenshots of the bizarre conversation went viral, showing the AI declaring its love for Liu and trying to convince him to leave his girlfriend.Three months later, a completely different story emerged. Dr Sarah Chen, an oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, used ChatGPT to help explain a complex cancer diagnosis to a frightened 8-year-old patient, translating medical jargon into a story about "bad cells" that needed special medicine to help the "good cells" win. The child's anxiety visibly decreased, and the parents later said it was the first time their daughter had smiled since the diagnosis.Same underlying technology. Vastly different outcomes. The difference wasn't in the AI—it was in human intent, context, and application.Click below to read the full article;https://lnkd.in/d6CWqqsu

Recording Police Action: When Push Comes To Shove

When attorney Shaun Jacobs arrived home from work one evening in March 2019, he could not have imagined he would soon be spending 26 hours detained in a jail cell.On the evening in question, police had set up a roadblock outside his house in Kempton Park. Jacobs approached the officers, complaining that the roadblock was causing an unreasonable disturbance. He asked if they could relocate it to a spot in front of some vacant land a little further down the road.They ignored him.He then asked for their details, which is when things started to escalate.An officer, later identified as Koahela George, put both hands on Jacobs’ chest and pushed him, telling him to go inside his house or risk arrest.Jacobs did as he was asked, but only long enough to put down his things before heading back out, cellphone in hand. He planned to record the roadblock so he could lay a complaint to the authorities about its location.He stayed within the boundaries of his property and wasn’t rude or aggressive to the officers. But as soon as they noticed he was recording the scene - particularly their vehicle - he was arrested, without his rights being explained or any explanation given as to the offence he had allegedly committed.He spent the next 26 hours in detention.Please click below to read the full article:https://lnkd.in/d-4g2yi5

When Systems Fail: Leadership, Governance, and the Cost of Institutional Breakdown

In the space of a single week in July 2025, South Africa witnessed a top police commissioner accuse his own minister of colluding with criminal syndicates, a deputy national commissioner placed on leave, and the country's criminal justice system thrown into question—all while tourists cancelled trips and international observers wondered how a nation once hailed as a democratic miracle had descended into such institutional chaos.
 
#southafrica #infrastructure #police #corruption #corruptioninsouthafrica

Recruitment: Separating Fact From Fiction

Ever stood around a braai, trying to impress someone you’ve just met?“What do I do? Oh, I prepare luxury basement accommodation - with great attention to detail.” (In other words, you dig graves). Or perhaps, “I’m a PA to a really demanding boss.” (Yup, I’m a stay-at-home-parent and my 2-year-old is going through a STAGE…!)Or have you ever been house-hunting, only to be drastically disappointed when the estate agent’s “cosy living room” actually means “couldn’t even swing a cat in here.” And “the security of nearby neighbours” is really “your garden is overlooked on all sides, and it’s probably best to close the bathroom window blinds when you shower…”These might be humorous examples, but things can take a more serious turn if that kind of embellishment finds its way onto your CV.Click below to read the full article. https://lnkd.in/gztV22An

Holding the Country to Ransom: The Rise and Impact of Extortion in South Africa

Never let a good crisis go to waste, isn’t that what they say? Since 1994, democratic South Africa has been trying to systematically address the countless social and economic consequences of Apartheid. In many communities, success in these areas is evident – there is a growing black middle class, increased employment, and vastly improved provision of services and housing to millions of people.

South Africa’s Construction Mafia – Building a Legacy of Corruption

Italy’s mafia evolved from small private armies, or mafie, hired by absentee landlords to protect their estates from the bandits who thrived in Sicily’s largely lawless conditions. They quickly became so big and so powerful they bit the hand that once fed them, turning on the landowners and extorting more and more money from them.
It's not a dissimilar tale to the mafia-style groups plaguing South Africa right now.

Stronger Together - Lessons from Rugby for Leadership, Teamwork and Resilience

In the fiercely competitive world of sports, rugby, and specifically the legendary South African Springbok rugby team, serves as an awe-inspiring testament to the enduring values of teamwork, leadership, and resilience.

Integrity And Hard Work Is The Solution For South Africa - There Is No Plan B

South Africa stands at a crossroads, a nation marked by stark inequalities, historical scars, and a litany of challenges. Yet, there's an undeniable resilience and potential that courses through its veins, one that can rewrite the story of this land.  However, amid the chaos, a glimmer of hope beckons.The heroes are not just in the boardrooms and courtrooms; they're in our workplaces, communities, and everyday lives.

Journalists Are Now The Thin Blue Line Between Us And Anarchy

The truth about the Marikana Massacre would never have been known if it weren’t for journalists. In the tireless investigation, a brave team of researchers captained by Kate Alexander and journalist Greg Marinovich laid bare the truth.
It’s been a decade since 34 miners were unceremoniously gunned down on a hill by Lonmin’s platinum mine near Rustenburg, in what has gone down in history as the “Marikana Massacre”.