PRESS RELEASE Civil society calls on the Human Rights Commission to investigate the human rights impacts of South Africa’s data centre boom CAPE TOWN, 24 August 2026 — Five civil society organisations — the Housing Assembly, Foxglove, Open Secrets, Research + Action and Planetary AI Collective (with legal analysis by Open Secrets and the Legal…
Open Secrets and Shadow World Investigations South Africa (SWISA) have submitted a Joint Report to the Khampepe Commission of Inquiry.
Open Secrets together with the Legal Resources Centre (LRC) and the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF) have made a joint submission commenting on the Public Procurement Amendment Bill 2026.
The Western Cape High Court has dismissed the urgent interdict application brought by Integrated Convoy Protection (ICP) against Open Secrets. The interdict sought to silence Open Secrets and prevent the publication of an article about ICP’s contract to supply armoured vehicles to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Investigative nonprofit Open Secrets has confirmed that it is currently “unable to speak on a matter of significant public importance” due to a court-imposed restriction.
Open Secrets, an organisation which exposes economic crimes and human rights abuses, has been issued a prepublication gag order. This appears to be the most draconian prepublication interdict we have come across.
Open Secrets is presently unable to speak on a matter of significant public importance. We are not permitted to disclose anything related to the matter including the names of the parties that may be involved. What we can say is simple: efforts to muzzle public-interest journalism endanger everyone’s right to know.
Eskom’s secretive pricing deals with aluminium giant South32 reveal how claims of ‘commercial confidentiality’ are used to block access to information in the public interest.
The Access to Information Network (ATI Network) compiled and submitted a report engaging with how our courts have interpreted and applied the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) in cases concerning access to information, particularly on energy- and climate-related information requests.
Open Secrets files court action against the Hawks and NPA over years-long delays in prosecuting PRASA corruption.