The real test in 2026 is not only who governs but how
South Africans head to the polls on 4 November 2026 for what the IEC has called the toughest pre-electoral climate in three decades. Trust in local government has collapsed from 55% in 2004 to just 18% today. Only one in six citizens…
Boards have a new governance risk. Most are not ready for it.
By Dr Liezl Groenewald, The Ethics Institute Artificial intelligence has transformed misinformation from a communications challenge into a governance risk. Deepfake videos, fabricated documents, and cloned voices can now be produced in…
Feroz Khan Was Shot Before He Could Testify. What Happens to the Truth Now?
By Dr Paul Vorster, The Ethics Institute The shooting of Major-General Feroz Khan before his appearance before the Madlanga Commission raises a fundamental question: can South Africa expect people to tell the truth if it cannot keep them…
Why South Africans are losing faith in the ballot
By Dr Lincoln Cave, The Ethics Institute As the 4 November 2026 local government elections approach, South Africans face more than competing promises of service delivery. Rather, they confront a growing sense of distrust. Cases of…
The real lesson of the Madlanga Commission
By Jovita Matos Fazenda, The Ethics Institute The revelations emerging from the Madlanga Commission have once again shaken public confidence in South Africa's justice and policing institutions. Allegations of misconduct, corruption, abuse…
The Elephant Everyone Sees but No One Names
In an environment of economic pressure, governance scrutiny, reputational risk, and growing workplace instability, workplaces are increasingly discovering that their greatest threats are not hidden misconduct, but visible dysfunctions…
Clean for the G20 Summit, dirty for the People? A test of our collective responsibility.
Across African countries, and maybe in other geographies I am less familiar with, in the lead-up to major international events, host cities are often subjected to a deep transformation process. Streets are cleaned, infrastructure is…
Young people are the real victims of corruption
Young people are paying the price for corruption in South Africa. The country’s recent events have been a clear depiction that young people can no longer deem the South African government as role models. Many would argue that this…
Mediocrity: the silent killer of society and organisations
Protests over water outages in Johannesburg and mounting political pressure on local government spotlight a nationwide crisis in basic service delivery, revealing how complacency, systemic neglect and weak accountability have normalised…
Protecting truth in the face of fear
Every act of whistleblowing begins with a choice. A choice to stay silent or a choice to speak up. That decision rests on whether employees believe their organisation will protect them and not punish them. Effective reporting systems are…