And letting departments know that someone is watching.

GroundUp asked nine provincial social development departments and a national department for information on the billions of rands they spend every year, then published what came back — ranking the responses from best to worst. Several provincial departments turned out to be in breach of their own disclosure policy.

It is a simple exercise, and that is the point. Asking a department a straightforward question, in writing, and publishing the answer or the silence that follows, is one of the most effective accountability tools available to ordinary citizens and civic organisations. It requires no budget and no special standing.

We asked nine provinces and a national department for information on the billions of rands they spend annually: here’s what happened — GroundUp, 8 August 2024.

Shared by the South African Muslim Network (SAMNET) in the interest of greater accountability and active citizenship.