The veteran, the doctor and the PIC’s dodgy R600-million land deal

Dewald van Rensburg

15 July, 2022

Extracting money from the Public Investment Corporation for dubious projects seems to have been easy - if you were willing to shell out massive "fees" to connected gatekeepers.

Papa J and Prince: meet the men who were roped into the Phala Phala burglary “mastermind’s” escape to Namibia.

Tebogo Tshwane

1 July, 2022

Imanuwela David, the man alleged to be the ringleader in the robbery at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s game farm, skipped the country with the aid of two dodgy forex traders – a certain Papa J and a man named Prince.

Majola’s liquidated company wins disputed Lesotho airport tender

Keketso Mohalenyane Phakela

24 June, 2022

A questionable tender to fix Lesotho’s dilapidated airport to meet international standards has been thrown into confusion – first by a liquidation order from a South African judge, then by a phone call from amaBhungane.

Taxi ‘mafia’ blamed for deadly attacks on long distance buses

Sebe Buthelezi

9 June, 2022

As bloodshed and intimidation mar the long distance transport sector, bus company Intercape has pointed fingers at taxi bosses, accusing them of sustained mafia-style tactics and attempts at price-fixing — while the authorities, Intercape alleges, did little or nothing.

Ramaphosa’s stolen millions: the Namibian connection

Sam Sole, Tebogo Tshwane and Tileni Mongudhi

4 June, 2022

In 2020 Namibian authorities identified suspects following a break-in at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm, but sources allege SA intelligence back-channels were used to get the Namibians to let the matter go.

Update: Regulator fed “incorrect or incomplete” information in Rudland-Tongaat takeover

Dewald van Rensburg

3 June, 2022

The outcome of an investigation by the Takeover Regulation Panel looks set to sink the deal that would hand control of one of South Africa’s oldest companies to the controversial Tobacco-dealing family.

The evaporating case for gas

Susan Comrie

27 May, 2022

A study from a coalition of 86 major corporations — including Eskom, Sasol and Shell — shows we need very little natural gas to achieve energy security.

Fuel thieves siphon off millions from Eskom power station

Laura López González

16 May, 2022

As fuel prices soar, an ageing Eskom power station in Mpumalanga is the hub of one sophisticated fuel theft operation siphoning off millions of rands worth — with help from corrupt officials, trucking companies and police.

Advocacy Update: amaBhungane and Arena win court bid for access to Steinhoff report

Cherese Thakur

12 May, 2022

The Western Cape High Court has found in favour of Tiso Blackstar (now Arena Holdings) and amaBhungane in their application to gain access to a PwC report commissioned by embattled retailer Steinhoff.

The ANC’s manganese ‘gold’ mine

Dewald van Rensburg

9 May, 2022

Massive cashflows from a joint venture with sanctioned Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg could overwhelmingly shape the ruling party’s financial fortunes.

Today is World Press Freedom Day

Sam Sole

3 May, 2022

This year’s United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) theme is “Journalism under Digital Siege”.

Analysis: Who is behind South Africa’s xenophobic nationalism?

AmaBhungane Team

28 April, 2022

Evidence gathered for amaBhungane suggests that if South Africa descends into xenophobic violence, it will be disproportionately due to the actions of a few political actors.