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A fact sheet detailing a COMPACT Stakeholder Engagement event held on 14 September 2023 in Gauteng. The event focused on enhancing local government accountability through hybrid digital and traditional public participation tools and resulted in the formation of a COMPACT Reference Committee.

The Joint Strategic Resource (JSR), a group of experts coordinated by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI), submitted public comment on the Public Procurement Bill 2023. The JSR argues that the Bill continues to follow an 'administrative paradigm' focused on rigid compliance and expenditure control, rather than a 'strategic contracting paradigm' that would allow for flexibility, professional expertise, and better service delivery outcomes.

The Procurement Reform Working Group (PRWG) issued a statement on 11 September 2023 regarding the Public Procurement Bill [B 18-2023]. While the PRWG views the creation of a single national legislative framework as a positive step toward simplifying a system currently governed by over 100 pieces of legislation, it warns that the Bill's current draft contains critical flaws. These include ambiguous definitions of 'preferential procurement' and 'public procurement', and an over-reliance on subordinate legislation and the law-making powers of the National Treasury and Public Procurement Office rather than concrete statutory rules.

This report by the Public Affairs Research Institute examines the weaknesses of parliamentary oversight in South Africa. It finds that while legal powers are sufficient, political pressures from the dominant party, poor committee management, and inadequate technical resources hinder the ability of MPs to hold the executive accountable. The authors distinguish between basic 'explanatory accountability' and the nearly absent 'amendatory accountability'. Key recommendations include creating a committee to oversee the Presidency, reforming the appointment of committee chairs to include the opposition, and establishing a formal tracking system for executive compliance with parliamentary resolutions.

A joint submission by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI), Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM), The Ethics Institute (TEI), and Corruption Watch providing comments on the Public Administration and Management Amendment Bill 2023. The submission supports the professionalisation of the public sector but proposes strengthening prohibitions against public sector employees conducting business with the state to prevent corruption.

A joint submission by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI), Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM), The Ethics Institute (TEI), and Corruption Watch regarding the Public Service Amendment Bill 2023. The document supports the Bill's goal of professionalising the South African public administration but argues that it does not go far enough to insulate the service from patronage politics and political interference.

An open letter from Jabu Hlatshwayo, an intern at the Public Affairs Research Institute, to President Ramaphosa, urging the South African government to prioritize urban land reform and the youth following the February 9, 2023, State of the Nation Address (SONA).

The Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) states that one year after the release of the State Capture Commission report, the pace and breadth of reform to hold perpetrators accountable and prevent future state capture in South Africa remain inadequate.

This research paper examines social accountability capacity-building activities implemented by Oxfam South Africa in three rural local municipalities within the Alfred Nzo District Municipality to enable informal community-based organisations to hold local government accountable for service non-delivery.

This research paper by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) advocates for a 'strategic procurement paradigm' to replace the 'administrative paradigm' currently dominating South Africa's public procurement system. The authors, acting as a Joint Strategic Resource (JSR) for the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac), argue that the existing system's rigidity facilitates state capture and hinders complex infrastructure delivery. They propose a legislative framework that empowers accounting officers, integrates procurement with technical delivery functions, and implements 'guardrails' such as open contracting and incentivised whistleblowing to ensure integrity.

This submission, prepared by the Action for Accountability (A4A) project and the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI), provides comments and recommendations on the draft Public Service Regulations (GG No. 48104 dated 24 February 2023) which seek to amend the 2016 Public Service Regulations. The authors argue that South Africa is facing an "accountability crisis" and suggest various amendments to ensure the regulations align with the National Framework towards the Implementation of Professionalisation of the Public Sector and the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS).

A press statement issued by the Procurement Reform Working Group (PRWG) and various civil society organisations expressing alarm over new electricity disaster management regulations in South Africa, arguing that vague emergency procurement provisions risk enabling corruption and looting.

This report summarizes a two-day conference held in October 2023 by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) and the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (CASAC). The event focused on the implementation of recommendations from the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture (the Zondo Commission) to hold perpetrators accountable and reform state institutions to prevent future state capture in South Africa.

The Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) and the Council for the Advancement of the Constitution (CASAC) hosted a conference on September 14-15, 2022, to analyze the final report of the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture. The conference focused on enhancing state and private sector accountability through themes such as public procurement reform, whistle-blower protection, and the strengthening of governance institutions in South Africa.

This briefing by the Public Affairs Research Institute provides a summary of the findings and recommendations of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture (the Zondo Commission). The Commission investigated systemic corruption in South Africa between January 2018 and June 2022, focusing on how private actors, specifically the Gupta enterprise, collaborated with state officials to redirect public resources for private gain.

The Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) and a coalition of civic organisations issued statements condemning hate speech, cyberbullying, and threats of violence directed at the South African Informal Traders Forum (SAITF) and the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI). The actions are attributed to Councillor Nkululeko Mbundu of ActionSA, the MMC for Economic Development in the City of Johannesburg, following a court victory by SERI and SAITF against illegal evictions.

This research paper examines the internal organisational structures of South African national government Cabinet departments between 2009 and 2021, analyzing how inter-departmental expansion and political leadership influenced internal unit growth.

The Declaration of the Conference for Democratic Renewal and Change, adopted on 2 July 2022, is a statement by over 300 individuals and representatives from more than 100 civil society, labour, business, and faith-based organisations. The document asserts that South Africa's constitutional democracy is under threat from corruption and state capture, and it outlines a programme of action to reclaim democratic integrity, reform the electoral system, and professionalise the public service.

This op-ed argues that universal access to electricity is a critical prerequisite for ending poverty and driving socioeconomic development in South Africa. The author contends that the South African government incorrectly defines 'access' as mere physical connection to the grid, ignoring the essential components of affordability and reliability. This narrow focus, combined with an inadequate Free Basic Electricity policy and a cost-recovery model, traps low-income households and small enterprises in poverty by making the electricity needed for economic growth unaffordable.

A memorandum from a coalition of organisations addressed to President Cyril Ramaphosa ahead of the 2022 State of the Nation Address, expressing concern over state instability, corruption, and the failure of service delivery in South Africa.