| State capture demonstrated the immense cost of corruption when warning signs are missed and institutions are allowed to weaken over time. While oversight and law enforcement play an important role, the challenge remains: how can government identify the onset of state capture before public institutions become compromised?
Join us for a thought-provoking webinar exploring ACTis, an innovative system developed by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) where artificial intelligence (AI) works alongside human analysts to identify patterns and warnings signs of possible state capture and systemic corruption. ACTis brings together multiple sources of information at the same time and provides succinct analysis and immediately actionable recommendations. It is believed to be the first of its kind in the world.
Already attracting interest from key government stakeholders, including the Special Investigating Unit, and being applied within strategic departments, ACTis offers a powerful new approach to strengthening accountability, supporting evidence-based decision-making, and enhancing institutional diagnostics. By identifying potential risks and suspicious trends early, the tool enables government, business, and civil society to move from reactive responses to proactive prevention.
This session will showcase how emerging technologies can support integrity in public institutions and contribute to building a capable, ethical, and resilient state.
Join us as we explore whether AI can help South Africa detect the next state capture before it takes hold.
Speakers:
- Erin Klazaar is an investigative researcher with experience in complex investigations, information analysis, and international project coordination. At the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, she investigated corruption, fraud, and maladministration through documentary, financial, corporate, and open-source analysis. She now applies this expertise to the ACTiS project at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), identifying early warning signs of systemic corruption. She has co-authored reports and policy briefs on anti-corruption frameworks, access to information, and technology, and collaborated with civil society, journalists, and law enforcement on research and cross-sector initiatives.
- Luvano Ntuli is a researcher and investigator whose work explores the intersections of governance, economic crime, corporate power, human rights and social justice. She is currently a Content Analyst at the Institute for Security Studies, researching corruption risks, institutional vulnerabilities and the conditions that enable state capture in South Africa. Previously, Luvano worked as an Investigator at Open Secrets, conducting investigations into corporate misconduct, illicit financial flows and economic crime across the continent. She has also contributed to research on transitional justice, gender justice and accountability through her work with the African Transitional Justice Research Coalition and the University of Cape Town.
- Lucas Nowicki is a researcher and journalist whose work focuses on governance, corruption, accountability and human rights in South Africa.He currently works with the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) on the Anti-Corruption Tracker Information System (ACTis), an initiative that identifies patterns and early warning signs of systemic corruption and state capture in public institutions to support preventive action and strengthen accountability. Previously, Lucas worked at the Parliamentary Monitoring Group (PMG), focusing on parliamentary oversight, public participation and legislative processes. He has also worked with Open Secrets on investigations into corruption and state capture, and as a journalist with GroundUp, covering governance, human rights, environmental issues and service delivery.
- Nicky Prins is the project leader and creator of ACTis, a system designed to detect and disrupt state capture and systemic corruption in South Africa. Formerly a Chief Director at the National Treasury, Nicky’s work on major infrastructure projects during the State Capture era sparked a long-term effort to understand and expose the systemic dynamics of corruption. She contributed to the landmark Betrayal of the Promise report and has spent nearly a decade supporting academics, civil society, investigative journalists, parliamentary inquiries, and the State Capture Commission through research, systems analysis, and anti-corruption initiatives.
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