Sustainability Conversations ... Crime & Silent auctions

This year (2016) the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit — officially came into force.  Over the next fifteen years, with these new Goals that universally apply to all, countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.

For the goals to be reached, everyone has to do their part : Governments, the private sector, civil society and people like us.

"Where corruption is rampant countries face poor inward investment, and blemished reputations. Corruption is, therefore, a short term victory for the few that deeply harms the many,” the UNODC chief warned, underlining the importance of the new development Agenda’s Goal 16, which seeks to substantially reduce corruption and bribery, as well as promote access to justice and effective, accountable and transparent institutions.

Environmental crime is also now becoming a serious problem worldwide in different forms, with some of them being among the most profitable criminal activities in the world. The most common crimes against the environment are connected with the unlawful exploitation of wild fauna and flora, pollution, waste disposal and its trade.

Would you like to know what the five most serious environmental crimes are?
Find out here

An interesting story that grabbed my attention broke in the Business Day last month. Having had first hand experience of how the auctioneering system "operates", it was good to see a string of auctioneers, Bank officials, liquidators and prominent individuals implicated in a crime bust. Would love to see a closer scrutiny on the actions of some auctioneers and their dubious bedfellows. 

Read more here.
In 2015, an estimated 10 000 repossessed homes were sold on auction in South Africa. Most of these homes were sold at just a fraction of the market value, leaving struggling home owners seriously out of pocket.

If you have a home loan please read the Carte Blanche iarticle here

 Join us on Thursday when we chat to our Sustainability Heroes of the week, Brigadier Piet Pieterse and Captain Kwena Serokolo from the Hawks. They are both involved in the cyber and commercial crime unit. We chat about their role and how the community can get involved in fighting corruption and crime.

Keitu Gwangwa & Pierre du Toit host the iStart2 Show on Thursdays at 17h30. Radio Today broadcasts on 1485 MW (AM) in greater Johannesburg and countrywide on ‪#‎DStv‬ audio channel 869. 

Radio Today also streams globally on www.1485.org.za. 

It is time to make the change - thank you 

for playing your part in creating a more sustainable world!