Here you will find radio and podcast interviews that Open Secrets’ team members and our partners in civil society have participated in. Most of the interviews are based on Open Secrets past and ongoing work, and also includes social commentary on current affairs.
Who Killed Frans Mathipa? Probing the SANDF, Abductions, and a Trail of Silence – Hennie van Vuuren on The View Point
John Perlman chats to Hennie van Vuuren, Director at Open Secrets on the arrest of 12 SANDF members who are currently being held for the 2023 murder of a Hawks officer.
John Perlman chats to Michael Marchant, Open Secrets’ Head of Investigations, about the documents that were sent to Open Secrets verifying that Eskom reportedly gave South32’s Hillside aluminum smelter a 50% discount, which could total R92 billion over the course of the agreement.
Clement Manyathela speaks to Micheal Marchant, the Head of Investigations at Open Secrets about why the NPA has not been able to prosecute high-profile state capture or corruption cases.
SAFM | The Talking Point with Cathy Mohlahlana – Cathy Mohlahlana speaks to Abby May, an investigator at Open Secrets about the #ShutdownsEverywhereYouGo report.
Clarence Ford speaks to Jane Borman, lawyer at Open Secrets, about #ShutdownsEverywhereYouGo, their latest report revealing how MTN and its subsidiaries have been implicated in human rights violations across Africa and the Middle East.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says it’s still experiencing challenges finalising corruption matters. Thabiso Tema spoke with Michael Marchant, Head of Investigations at Open Secrets.
South African non-profit organisation Open Secrets has revealed that luxury properties in the country are increasingly being used to launder large sums of money linked to corruption across Africa.
On 702 Drive, John Perlman interviews Ra’eesa Pather, Senior Investigator at Open Secrets, about the investigation behind our report, For Sale: South Africa’s Property Laundromat, that shows how international money laundering has been aided and abetted by prominent SA law firms and estate agents.
Open Secrets unveils their latest report following a multi-year investigation into how South Africa’s luxury property sector is complicit in laundering the proceeds of grand corruption from across Africa. Lester Kiewit speaks to Ra’eesa Pather, senior investigator at Open Secrets.
Open Secrets’ Head Investigator Michael Marchant joins Clarence Ford on ‘Views and News with Clarence Ford’ to uncover how corporations are pushing for expansion and profits, despite fierce resistance.
Lester Kiewit speaks to Michael Marchant about how the Justice Minister Thembi Simelane needs to respond urgently to reports she received a loan of over R500 000…
In this episode of Open Secrets Radio, we discuss the key issues surrounding the potential implementation of a Basic Income Grant in South Africa and ask, who stands to profit? Tune in as Open Secrets investigators Abby May, Zen Mathe, and Michael Marchant dive into the concept of a basic income grant as a form of social protection; its potential to address poverty and inequality; and concerns around the digitization of South Africa’s grant system.
In the fourth episode of the African Climate Alliance Podcast’s Cancel Coal season, Zen Mathe and Michael Marchant from Open Secrets uncover the power and money dynamics within South Africa’s energy landscape as well as the lessons that can be learned for achieving an equitable and just energy transition.
Lester Kiewit speaks to Michael Marchant, head of investigations at OpenSecrets, about what happens now that former Eskom bosses Matshela Koko and Brian Molefe have had the cases against them dropped by the NPA.
Thabo Shole-Mashao speaks to Michael Marchant, the head of investigations at Open Secrets and Stephanie Fick, the executive director of the accountability division at OUTA about the effectiveness of the NPA in the past five years.
Radio Islam South Africa’s civil society has unveiled a report demanding actionable steps be taken to address state capture. The collective response, presented in Braamfontein, reflects the collaboration of civil society organisations within the Civil Society Working Group on State Capture, focusing on the findings of the Zondo Commission. Letlhogonolo Letshele, from Open Secrets, speaking…
Gaynel Curry and Luvano Ntuli discuss structural inequalities and its relationship to systems of oppression as well as histories of exploitation and marginalization.
Lester Kiewit speaks to Michael Marchant, head of investigations at OpenSecrets, about Shamila Batohi’s five years at the helm at the National Prosecuting Authority, and whether she is making a dent in the country’s massive corruption problem.
KPMG has signed a confidential settlement with VBS Mutual Bank
Open Secrets exposes a military squad allegedly responsible for acts of torture and murder. The evidence implicates at least four units of the SANDF in crimes dating back to 2019. They are the elite Special Forces Brigade, the Military Police, Defence Intelligence and Defence Legal Services.
The Middelburg specialised commercial crimes court struck former Eskom boss Matshela Koko’s fraud, corruption and money-laundering case off the roll due to unreasonable delays. Phemelo speaks to the Head of Investigations at Open Secrets, Michael Marchant about the case.
Noluthando Mthonti-Mlambo speaks to Luvano Ntuli, Investigator at Open Secrets about their new report, “The Consultants – A Corporations and Economic Crime”.
South Africa finds itself at the centre of severe criticism for having a approved arms exports worth about R9.2-billion to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since 2015, when the two countries started their military invasion on Yemen.
Cabinet has now approved the National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill. Ra’eesa Pather, Investigator at Open Secrets talks to POWER Breakfast host Thabiso Tema on what this means for the return of the Scorpions
A round-up of news updates, including a look at threats by Santaco to take the City of Cape Town to court over the recent impounding of taxis.
Lester Kiewit speaks to Ra’eesa Pather, senior investigator at Open Secrets, about the investigation into former NPA head of public prosecutions, Andrew Chauke and what is known about his role in state capture.
SAfm’s Aldrin Sampear is joined by Michael Marchant to discuss the findings of Open Secrets and The Sentry’s latest investigative report titled: ‘Fronts, Fakes, and Façades’.
Mike speaks to Peter Ndoro about our Zimbabwe state capture investigation.
Channel Africa’s Peter Ndoro speaks to Michael Marchant to find out more about Open Secrets and The Sentry’s latest report, Fronts, Fakes, and Façades.
Director of Open Secrets, Hennie van Vuuren is calling on the Presidency and the US government to make public details of the mysterious cargo of the Russian vessel Lady R which docked in Simon’s Town in December 2022.
The Eastern Cape Provincial Government confirmed that President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has landed in the Eastern Cape, on a runway he paid for. This is after the UAE denied our request for the extradition of the Guptas.
Al Jazeera has broadcast a four party documentary showing how high ranking officials in Zimbabwe are helping people to smuggle gold of that country.
Mediated Conversation: auditing firm Deloitte had reached a settlement with the company Tongaat Hulette – over the massive auditing scandal at Tongaat.
Point of View with Phemelo Motene How did the State Capture network move billions of rand stolen from the South African people across the globe? The Zondo Commission report provides some of the details of the network of banks who profited from this — but fails to provide any remedy of how to prevent a…
We’ve had just about a week to digest the latest instalment of the State Capture report. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s failure to address corruption at various levels of government, and within the governing party has been widely criticised. Several parastatals have also been eaten away by dubious deals and corrupt politicians, leaving South Africans with an…
After missing 15 June deadline, the Chief Justice Raymond Zondo Commission has finally submitted part five and six of the report into State Capture. Earlier this week, Guest: Michael Marchant – Head of Investigations at Open Secrets Guest: Cynthia Stimpel – Whistleblower and Author of Hijackers on Board
Clement is joined by Karyn Maughan and Hennie van Vuuren to talk about the arrest of the Gupta brothers in the UAE.
Hennie van Vuuren speaks to Refilwe Moloto about his thoughts on the extradition of the arrested Gupta brothers from Dubai to South Africa.
Director of Open Secrets, Hennie van Vuuren, talks about the Gupta brother’s arrest and the UAE judicial system.
702. The Clement Manyathela Show Clement is joined by the Legal Journalist, Karyn Maughan and the Director of Open Secrets, Hennie van Vuuren to talk about the arrest of the Gupta brothers in UAE and the extradition process by the Justice Department.
Findings against The New Age in the State Capture report The Clement Manyathela Show on 702 | Interview with Ra’eesa Pather, Investigator at Open Secrets | 12 January 2022 Clement speaks to Open Secrets’ investigator, Ra’eesa Pather, as well as Pieter Pretorius from Eskom and former GCIS DG Themba Maseko, as resistors of state capture…
Mediated Conversation: Reflection on the State Capture Report SAfm Sunrise | Guests include: Pauli van Wyk, Daily Maverick; Hennie van Vuuren, Open Secrets; and Mzwandile Mbeje, SABC News | 10 January 2022 Stephen Grootes of SAfm Sunrise speaks with Pauli van Wyk (Journalist at Daily Maverick); Hennie van Vuuren (Executive Director of Open Secrets), and…
Thought Leadership: State Capture Report under the spotlight Power 98.7 | In conversation with Mamello Mosiana, Head of Campaigns at Open Secrets | 9 January 2022 Stand-in host Nhlanhla Sehume is in conversation with the head of campaigns, Mamello Mosiana, at non-governmental organisation Open Secrets – which is vocal on accountability for private sector economic…
Analysing the State Capture Report: Objections to proposed deferred prosecution agreements Radio 786 | In conversation with Michael Marchant, Head of Research at Open Secrets | 7 January 2022 Red flags have been raised about the State Capture Commission’s recommendation that government introduce laws to allow for deferred prosecutions of corporations accused of crimes like…
Ramaphosa’s primary responsibility is to the country, not his political party: Open Secrets SAfm: Update at Noon | In conversation with Hennie van Vuuren, Executive Director at Open Secrets | 5 Januray 2022 The Democratic Alliance has called on law enforcement agencies to immediately act following the release of the first of the three-part State…
Power Business with Khaya Sithole: Reflections on the State Capture Report – Part 1 5 January 2022 Power Business with Khaya Sithole Khaya Sithole reflects on Part 1 of the State Capture Report with Steven Powell from ENS, Pauli van Wyk from the Daily Maverick and Open Secrets’ Head of Investigations, Michael Marchant.
Ramaphosa’s primary responsibility is to the country, not his political party: Open Secrets 5 January 2022 Update at Noon The Democratic Alliance has called on law enforcement agencies to immediately act following the release of the first of the three-part State Capture report. The DA says now the information is available, recommendations from the report…
5 January 2022 Lester Kiewit talks to Open Secrets’ Ra’eesa Pather
CPS Social Grants Management Still a Secret | Interview with Michael Marchant, Head of Investigations Radio 786 | 6 December 2021
Open Secrets investigation raises red flags around the digitalization of grants process CapeTalk: Breakfast with Refilwe Moloto | 29 November 2021 Abby May, an Investigations Intern at Open Secrets, speaks to John Maytham about an investigation which highlights the threats to privacy and vulnerable individuals when private companies co-create the digital infrastructure used by the…
Open Secrets investigation raises red flags around the digitalization of grants process CapeTalk: Breakfast with Refilwe Moloto | 29 November 2021 Abby May, an Investigations Intern at Open Secrets, speaks to John Maytham about an investigation which highlights the threats to privacy and vulnerable individuals when private companies co-create the digital infrastructure used by the…
Open Secrets investigation raises red flags around the digitalization of grants process CapeTalk: Breakfast with Refilwe Moloto | 29 November 2022 Abby May, an Investigations Intern at Open Secrets, speaks to John Maytham about an investigation that highlights the threats to privacy and vulnerable individuals when private companies co-create the digital infrastructure used by the…
Cape Talk | 8 September 2021 Transnet and the Special Investigating Unit were on Tuesday granted a preservation order to freeze R4.2billion sitting in bank accounts linked to Chinese company, CRRC E-Loco Supply (CRRC). They supplied Transnet with locomotives between 2011 and 2014. Michael Marchant of Open Secrets speaks to Refilwe Moloto about the significance of the move.
10 June 2021 | Radio 786 – 100.4 FM | Non-profit organisation Open Secrets, and the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) has launched an urgent application in the North Gauteng High, seeking the names of all permit holders authorised to export arms to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Since 2017, Saudi Arabia stands accused of…
Tumisang Ndlovu speaks to Michael Marchant, researcher – Investigations and Advocacy – Open Secrets and the Unpaid Benefits Campaign about the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) commissioner appointments process.
Breakfast with Refilwe Moloto | 17 September 2020 | Let’s not forget that state capture is so much bigger and Zuma and that this corruption doesn’t exist in a vacuum – the private sector has been there every step of the way. Michael Marchant from Open Secrets in conversation with Refilwe.
World Peace Foundation, 8 September 2020. The podcast series “African Voices, African Arguments” features African scholars, writers, policy makers and activists on issues of peace, justice and democracy, and is produced by World Peace Foundation and presented in partnership with African Arguments and The Institute for Global Leadership at Tufts University. Alex de Waal discusses…
Weekend Breakfast with Refiloe Mpakanyane | 702 | 16 november 2019 | Senior Researcher at Open Secrets, Michael Marchant unpacks Open Secrets’ report looking in to the saga behind the FSCA’s unclaimed pension funds which is reportedly nearing R50 Billion now.
Lotus FM | Newsbreak | 13 November 2019 | SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Hoossen Ebrahim – Non-profit organisation “Open Secrets” has written to the Finance Minister to investigate their report which found over 42-billion-rand worth of unpaid benefits of pension funds – still under the control of private administrators. The…
Marianne Thamm | Daily Maverick | 10 November 2019 The R42-billion in unpaid benefits owed to more than four million South African pensioners is ‘a fundamental failure’ of public interest by state regulators and pension fund administrators, a year-long investigation by Open Secrets has concluded. Open Secrets researchers Michael Marchant, Mamello Mosiana, Leila Khan and…
Weekend Breakfast with Africa Melane | Cape Talk | 9 November 2019 | This is the 3rd and final installment of a conversation which this show has been having about unpaid pension schemes in South Africa. Around R42 Billion is sitting in pension schemes which are administered in South Africa. These benefits have been due…
While politics continues to focus the public’s attention, many may be losing out on their pensions. The network is joined by Open Secrets’ Investigator Michael Marchant to discuss this matter. Courtesy #DStv403
Weekend Breakfast with Africa Melane | 702 | 26 October 2019 | Whistle blower Rosemary Hunter faced massive opposition when she called out her colleagues at the Financial services board for irregularities relating to cancelled pension schemes. As we stand, there is R42 billion in benefits is owed to over 4 million pensioners and pension…
On Wednesday, the High Court in Pretoria found the Seriti commission failed to comprehensively investigate the arms deal as it had been mandated to do. The commission, chaired by Judge Willie Seriti, ran for four years and cost taxpayers more than R130m. Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh, standing in for Eusebius McKaiser, spoke to author and Corruption Watch…
Gushwell and Mamello Mosiana from Open Secrets look in to the life and legacy of the anti-apartheid activist Dulcie September who remains the only high ranking activist who died in exile, following their podcast series about the murder of Dulcie’s life “They Killed Dulcie”.
22 August 2019 Setting aside the findings of the commission into the arms deal offers an opportunity to cast the net wider says Andrew Feinstein, arms trade activist and author of The Shadow World: Inside the Global Arms Trade. He talks to Upfront’s Refilwe Moloto about details of the two-decades-long investigation into South Africa’s arms…
Open Secrets’ Researcher Michael Marchant chats with Africa Melane on the Seriti Commission and the Review.
The corruption case against former South African president Jacob Zuma has begun. Zuma’s case lifts the lid on the influence of weapons companies on governments worldwide. “It’s not a story of a corrupt guy, Jacob Zuma,” says Hennie van Vuuren, the director of Open Secrets, a South African organisation that investigates economic crimes and abuses…
Phemelo Motene unpacks the arms deal with Micheal Marchant
Sound Africa’s Rasmus Bitsch talks to 702’s Lester Kiewit about the last episode of They Killed Dulcie: Impunity.
Sound Africa’s Rasmus Bitsch talks to Lester Kiewit about the fourth episode of They Killed Dulcie, Prisons of the Past.
The podcast, They Killed Dulcie has gripped my imagination over the last few weeks. It tries to uncover the mysterious circumstances around the death of the anti-apartheid activist in paris in 1988. In the third episode of “They Killed Dulcie,” the producers Rasmus Bitsch and Neo Rakgajane delve into the world of informants and double…
Mail & Guardian | Lester Kiewit A new effort is being made to uncover the truth surrounding the 1988 assassination of exiled ANC official Dulcie September in Paris, France. September was gunned down outside the ANC’s Paris office on March 28. She was shot five times in the head with a .22 silenced rifle. To…
In 1988 in Paris five bullets ended the life of Cape Town-born liberation movement activist Dulcie September. Why was she killed? Who profited from her murder? These are the questions being asked in a new pod cast documentary series, brought to us by anti-corruption lobby group Open Secrets, and produced by Sound Africa. The new…
Watch the trailer for our podcast series with Sound Africa: They Killed Dulcie.
