International intelligence data shows a recent boom in lithium exports from Southern Africa to Chinese markets. Where’s it coming from, and how does it get there? Andiswa Matikinca and Tatenda Chitagu investigate An undercover image of trucks lining up at…
KwaZulu-Natal road rehabilitation tenders involving five companies, nine key roads and a combined R436-million appear to have been manipulated to favour certain companies. The Independent Development Trust (IDT) handled the tender process on behalf of the provincial transport department. One…
Renewable energy projects are benefitting local communities, yet few people knew that they exist – let alone what their impact is. Thabo Molelekwa reports Thousands of children have benefitted from support from community trusts like the Letsatsi Solar Park Trust,…
An Oxpeckers reporter speaks to syndicate insiders about the role of corrupt law enforcement officials enabling cross-border illegal trade in rhino horns Casual exchange or calculated complicity? A BMA guard shares a moment with a driver at the Lebombo border…
Dear reader, I write to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the first article published under the amaBhungane banner. A reminder: that first story, on 19 March 2010, was “Zuma Inc.” and it was in this story that we first identified…
RECAP: In our previous instalment we revealed an international syndicate running online trading ‘scams’ worldwide that had a prominent presence in South Africa. Now we turn to the “back office” running the special South African division – the lawyers, fixers…
Community trusts linked to renewable energy projects are designed to ensure a portion of profits benefits the locals. #PowerTracker visits a Free State project to witness their real-world impacts. By Refilwe Mochoari, Thabo Molelekwa & Motlatsi Mofokeng Otsile Bokamoso, an…
A little-known Bulgarian entrepreneur named Boris Kodzhov has, since 2023, quietly made mammoth strides in the South African fintech sector. Kodzhov seemingly launched not one but three multi-million-rand online trading platforms for complicated financial products called ‘contracts for difference’ (CFD).…
On 16 October 2020 André Malherbe, an investigator at the South African Reserve Bank’s Financial Surveillance Department, got a phone call from one of the country’s best known alleged money launderers. Ahmed Bhorat, widely known in his rather specialised trade…
A rare earths venture at the gateway to the Kruger National Park plans to rehabilitate environmental damage caused by at least six decades of mining. Marcia Moyana investigates A contractor on site during the resource drilling campaign. Rainbow plans to…
Steven is senior counsel specialising in constitutional and administrative law, where he has championed media organisations’ rights to information and other public interest causes.
Beyond the courtroom, his Twitter bio says: “Keen on law, obsessed with (good) cricket.” He is the lead independent director of Cricket South Africa and has helped guide the organisation from crisis to recovery.
Steven’s passion for cricket began early — at age 11 he became South Africa’s youngest qualified umpire. That sense of fairness likely influenced his legal career.
Over two decades in law, he has clerked for Chief Justice Arthur Chaskalson and co-founded the Pan African Bar Association of South Africa, working to transform the legal profession in the country.
Mantoe is an experienced communications specialist, freelance journalist, and media trainer. She has over 15 years of journalism experience, focusing on development stories. Her bylines include The Nation Magazine, IPS News, Mail & Guardian, Independent Newspapers, and Climate Home.
As a communications specialist, she has consulted for organisations such as the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, National Agriculture Marketing Board, Marchmont Communications, and Inhlonhla.
She has also worked with the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network, Swaziland Network Campaign for Education for All, and the government of eSwatini’s National Climate Change Unit.
Mantoe is a part-time lecturer in journalism and mass communication at the University of eSwatini. She holds an MSc in Climate Change, Development and Policy (University of Sussex), a PG Diploma in Media Management (Rhodes University), and a BA in Communication Science (University of South Africa).
Troye started reporting on South Africa’s political economy during the country’s first democratic elections in 1994. Her career began on The Star newspaper’s political desk, where she had a ringside seat to observe and report on the establishment of a new democratic state – including the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings and the drafting of South Africa’s constitution.
She joined Independent Newspapers’ parliamentary team in Cape Town three years later, tracking and interrogating policy, budgets, legislation, and the party politics behind them.
After a stint as a parliamentary correspondent for radio, she became deputy editor of Fairlady magazine in 2002, gaining editorial and management experience – planning content, commissioning, editing, and managing production.
Troye returned to Parliament in 2005 for Finweek, and later joined Times Media to write for Financial Mail and Business Day. She was appointed IJ Hub’s Managing Partner: Editorial in 2022.
Lionel is a diligent and determined researcher, communicator and trainer with more than a decade’s experience investigating the energy, resources and public sectors.He brings a detail-oriented approach to problem-solving, an ability to synthesise large volumes of complex material, and the skill to communicate with clarity and precision.Lionel enjoys applying his forensic ‘follow the money’ skills to investigations, working closely with like-minded people in a collaborative environment and delivering impactful storytelling that serves the public interest.
Dumi is the executive dean in the faculty of humanities at North West University. He moved to his current role after a stint as associate professor and vice dean (academic) in the faculty of humanities at the University of Johannesburg.
Earlier, he worked as regional programme manager for media and access to information at the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa, where he led the foundation’s efforts to promote media freedom, media diversity, access to information and ICTs for development.
His previous professional experience includes senior lecturer and head of department (Wits University); visiting lecturer (University of Addis Ababa); research fellow (University of Oslo); Fulbright Scholar (College of Lake County and William Rainey Harper College, Illinois); and lecturer (University of Zimbabwe).Dumisani has served as an independent consultant for several NGOs, donor organisations and multilateral organisations on a wide range of assignments, including project evaluations, strategic planning/review and research projects focusing mainly on media and democracy and media and development in Southern Africa.His research interests include media policy and regulation in Africa; and (new and alternative) media and political engagement in Africa; journalism in the digital era; and media and elections
Oxpeckers is a non-profit company with a proven track record in managing multinational, cros -border journalistic collaborations. Its aims include building capacity for and improving the impact of African environmental journalism, inter alia by providing a home for investigative journalists interested in environmental issues
Inhlase (“spark” in siSwati) registered as a non-profit in 2017. In Africa’s last absolute monarchy, a country where few dare take on the powers that be, it has been hard at work uncovering corruption and making it public. It aims to ignite positive change in the country.
MakanDay was established in 2016. It is geared towards investigative journalism that serves the interests of the public. From small beginnings, it has made a name for itself with its combination of grassroots investigations and strong analysis.
Founded in 2016, MNN is strongly living up to its vision to be the leading investigative journalism organisation in the Mountain Kingdom, promoting accountability and transparency; exposing corruption and wrongdoing and promoting an open and democratic society.
Founded in 2020, the Platform is the youngest IJ Hub member centre. It has quickly established itself as Malawi’s pre-eminent investigative outfit, walking away with the Overall Winner, Investigative Story of the Year, and Electronic Media House of the Year prizes at the 2022 Misa Malawi awards
The investigative unit, founded in 2015, has undertaken and published major investigations into corruption and the abuse of power.
Its series on the FishRot scandal culminated in the resignation and prosecution of senior officials and politicians.
JOHANNESBURG,
DURBAN AND CAPE TOWN,
SOUTH AFRICA
AmaBhungane (isiZulu for “the dung beetles”) launched as an independent, non-profit newsroom in 2010 with the aim of developing investigative journalism to promote free, capable media and open, accountable, just democracy.
Its hard-hitting exposés, including the #GuptaLeaks which helped bring down the South African president, have earned it international acclaim.
JOHANNESBURG,
DURBAN AND CAPE TOWN,
SOUTH AFRICA
