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Although Zimbabwe has established several institutions to combat money laundering and related crimes, there is a perception that inadequate measures are taken to apprehend offenders responsible for financial crimes. Institutions such as the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) have done little to prove that the government of Zimbabwe is resolute in combatting money laundering. On the contrary, it increasingly appears that these institutions are poorly equipped and lack the necessary capacity to enforce and uphold anti-money laundering (AML) measures in Zimbabwe. Further, there appears to be a selective application of the law, with one set of rules for individuals or institutions that are perceived as political adversaries of the incumbent establishment and a different set of rules for the political elite. Consequently, the selective application of the law projects Zimbabwe as a jurisdiction that is somehow tolerant to money laundering, corruption and related financial crimes, thereby lowering and tarnishing the standing of the country in the global economic community of nations. This paper provides a regulatory analysis of the AML role-players in Zimbabwe in order to assess their functions in combatting financial crimes. It also analyses whether these role-players are effective and substantively executing their responsibilities therein. The authors argue that while Zimbabwe is well able to effectively combat money laundering through the even application of the law to all persons regardless of their political or economic standing, it is imperative that its AML institutions operate without fear, favour or prejudice. This is crucial in combatting money laundering and instilling confidence in the general public's perception of AML institutions in Zimbabwe.

Financial education entails the process of improving financial consumers' knowledge, understanding, skills and confidence regarding their use of financial services and financial products as well as the risks involved through consistent and objective advice from the relevant regulatory bodies and related stakeholders. Financial education is vitally needed to enhance financial consumers' knowledge on, inter alia, budgeting, better saving and better investment for their short and long-term financial goals in their respective countries and jurisdictions. In this regard, the role of regulatory bodies in the promotion of financial education through the adoption of adequate and appropriate measures to improve the financial well-being of financial consumers is indispensable. Accordingly, this article discusses the role of selected regulatory bodies in the promotion of financial education in South Africa. To this end, the role of the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), the National Credit Regulator (NCR), the National Consumer Tribunal (NCT) and the National Consumer Commission (NCC) is discussed. This is done to investigate whether the stated regulatory bodies and/or related agencies have adopted sufficient measures for the promotion of financial education in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insider trading is one of the illicit market abuse trading practices that are hampering the stability, viability, efficiency and integrity of the Zimbabwean financial markets. In this regard, it is submitted that the Zimbabwean anti-insider trading regulatory framework has not been very successful to date owing to various flaws and factors such as the gaps in the functions and regulatory powers of regulatory bodies, the lack of insider trading awareness and educational programmes, inadequate financial resources and the inconsistent co-operation between the regulatory bodies and other relevant enforcement authorities in Zimbabwe. These and other related flaws have culminated into various challenges such as poor market efficiency, poor market integrity, high market volatility and low public investor confidence in the Zimbabwean financial markets. This could further indicate that insider trading activities are still poorly regulated in Zimbabwe under the Securities Act 17 of 2004 [Chapter 24:25] as amended (Securities Act). Consequently, the article investigates the gaps and flaws in the current anti-insider trading regulatory framwork under the Securities Act. This is done in order to recommend possible measures that could be employed by the relevant enforcement authorities, policy makers and other key role-players to effectively combat insider trading activities in the Zimbabwean financial markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insider trading is statutorily prohibited in Zimbabwe. This is primarily aimed at promoting public investor confidence, market efficiency and enhancing the integrity of the Zimbabwean financial markets. As a result, some activities that could amount to insider trading in the Zimbabwean financial institutions and financial markets are outlawed in the Securities Act 17 of 2004 [Chapter 24:25] as amended (Securities Act). Despite these comendable efforts, various flaws and gaps in the aforesaid statute have somewhat impeded the role and effectiveness of the anti-insider trading regulatory bodies and enforcement authorities in Zimbabwe to date. Given this background, the article investigates the role of the relevant enforcement authorities and other key role-players in the detection, investigation and prosecution of insider trading activities in Zimbabwe. This is done by discussing the role of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe (SECZ), the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE) and the courts.

The promotion of financial inclusion is vital for the combating of financial exclusion in many countries, including South Africa. Nonetheless, most of the poor and low-income earners are still struggling to have access to basic financial products and financial services in South Africa. This status quo has been, inter alia, caused by several factors such as the lack of a specific statute for financial inclusion, the lack of a specific regulatory body to enforce that statute and the adoption of inadequate measures by the government and other role-players to effectively promote financial inclusion for the poor and low-income earners in South Africa. It is against this background that this article discusses the role of the government, regulatory bodies and other relevant role-players in the promotion of financial inclusion in South Africa. In this regard, the role of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB), the Banking Association South Africa (BASA), the National Consumer Tribunal (NCT), the National Credit Regulator (NCR), the National Treasury and the National Consumer Financial Education Committee (NCFEC), the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) and the Prudential Authority (PA) is discussed. This is done to investigate whether these regulatory bodies and role-players have adopted adequate measures to robustly and consistently combat financial exclusion of the poor and low-income earners in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insider trading is statutorily prohibited in Zimbabwe. This is primarily aimed at promoting public investor confidence, market efficiency and enhancing the integrity of the Zimbabwean financial markets. As a result, some activities that could amount to insider trading in the Zimbabwean financial institutions and financial markets are outlawed in the Securities Act 17 of 2004 [Chapter 24:25] as amended (Securities Act). Despite these comendable efforts, various flaws and gaps in the aforesaid statute have somewhat impeded the role and effectiveness of the anti-insider trading regulatory bodies and enforcement authorities in Zimbabwe to date. Given this background, the article investigates the role of the relevant enforcement authorities and other key role-players in the detection, investigation and prosecution of insider trading activities in Zimbabwe. This is done by discussing the role of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe (SECZ), the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE) and the courts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decentralisation is defined as the dispersion, distribution or transfer of resources, functions and decision-making power from a central authority to regional and local authorities. It is usually accompanied by assignment of accountability and responsibility for results. Fundamental to understanding decentralisation is learning what motivates central governments to give up power and resources to local governments, and the practical significance of this on their positions regarding decentralisation. This study examined key political and institutional influences on role-players’ capacity to support decentralisation of HIV and AIDS treatment services to primary healthcare facilities, and implications for sustainability. In-depth interviews were conducted with 55 purposively selected key informants, drawn from three Nigerian states that were at different stages of decentralising HIV and AIDS treatment services to primary care facilities. Key informants represented different categories of role-players involved in HIV and AIDS control programmes. Thematic framework analysis of data was done. Support for decentralisation of HIV and AIDS treatment services to primary healthcare facilities was substantial among different categories of actors. Political factors such as the local and global agenda for health, political tenure and party affiliations, and institutional factors such as consolidation of decision-making power and improvements in career trajectories, influenced role-players support for decentralisation of HIV and AIDS treatment services. It is feasible and acceptable to decentralise HIV and AIDS treatment services to primary healthcare facilities, to help improve coverage. However, role-players’ support largely depends on how well the reform aligns with political structures and current institutional practices. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The MRCGP clinical skills assessment (CSA), a high-stakes OSCE examination whereby GPs exit their training, uses trained role-players to depict patients (though not to mark candidates). Just as subgroups of examiners can potentially affect the results of subgroups of candidates through biases expressed in discriminatory marking, so possibly could subgroups of role-players alter the difficulty for different candidate groups. This study looks at the contribution of role-players to such possible systematic unfairness in the assessment. Using multiple linear regression, we examined the data from all 52,702 case scores from the MRCGP CSA for the academic year 2012-2013. Candidates were dichotomised by sex, by ethnicity and by source of primary medical qualification (PMQ); role-players were dichotomised by sex and binary ethnicity; and the transaction of candidate/role-player encounters were classified as 'same' or 'different' in terms of the two parties' sex and of their ethnicity. Neither examiner nor role-player characteristics were found to predict any statistically significant portion of case score variance, where the significant (p < .001) predictors were source of PMQ (UK or elsewhere: 11% of case score variance), candidates' ethnicity (1%), candidates' sex (0.6%) and 'transactional' sex (0.1%). We did not therefore find any substantial degree of support for the proposition that role-player subgroups systematically influence candidate subgroups' scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Making the final decision to terminate a pregnancy can be influenced by different circumstances involving various individuals. This paper describes the key players involved in the decision-making process regarding abortions among women who elected to undergo an induced abortion in a cosmopolitan urban setting in Ghana. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional mixed method study was conducted between January and December 2011. A total of 401 women with records in abortion logbooks were selected for an interviewer-administered questionnaire and an in-depth interview. Descriptive and multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to assess the quantitative data, and a thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data. Results: The findings of the study reveal that pregnant individuals, mothers of abortion-seekers, male partners, and “Others” (for example, friends, employers) were instrumental in making a decision to terminate unplanned/ unwanted pregnancies. Several key factors influenced the decision-making processes, including aversion from the men responsible for the pregnancy, concerns about abnormalities/deformities in future births due to unprofessionally conducted abortions, and economic considerations. Conclusion: A number of individuals, such as friends, mothers, and male partners, influence the decision-making process regarding abortion among the participants of the study. Various targeted messages are needed for the various participants in the decision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Change happens at breathtaking speed, placing governments and public administrations in situations that are probably quite different from those they have been used to. Today, developing countries such as South Africa, need to find solutions that are appropriate for today's needs in order to clear up ambiguities around some of the basic principles by which they are governed. However, public administrations will always have to deal with paradoxes, and the challenge is to strike the right balance between the opposing poles that define societies. One of the most exciting challenges that faced the government in post-apartheid South Africa was not only to create a representative public sector, but also institutions which could deliver quality services to improve the living conditions of all citizens. Attempts were made to address the inequalities that remained in the society and expectations generated by earlier election promises to also meet basic needs, develop human resources, democratise the state and build the economy. Caution has been expressed that the reforms undertaken should not only focus on social upliftment objectives, since these objectives can only be achieved if the South African economy can be placed firmly on the path of sustainable economic growth and development. The present state of growth and development seems to demonstrate an apparent lack of progress in terms of the delivery of particular services. The ability of the public service to deliver and expand on the above-mentioned will decide whether the country becomes a stable political economy driving development in Africa or remains a volatile country bedevilled by massive inadequacies in service delivery. The political leadership and management skills of its political office-bearers and the professionalism of its corps of civil servants will also be decisive. It will furthermore depend on the management of policies initiated by the government to ensure the above-mentioned. However, cognisance should be taken of the fact that the challenges of governing are complicated by factors such as the growing complexity of policy issues, the need for a simpler and more transparent political process, the multiplication of controls, countless procedures that hamper change, low public administration productivity, growing financial constraints, and citizens' lack of confidence and trust in the public service. In this article attention will therefore be focused on what policy management entails, the public sector transformation that took place in South Africa and the subsequent changes that it brought about, and how these changes were achieved to determine whether improvement or deterioration of services occurred. Suggestions are made to further improve and strengthen the public sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]