The New South Institute, in collaboration with Stellenbosch University’s School of Public Leadership, invites you to a public lecture by Daniel Kaufmann, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and Results for Development, and co-founder and president emeritus of the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI).

Kaufmann, who first developed the concept of state capture with Joel Hellman, will examine its emergence from post-Soviet transitions to its present-day manifestations across the globe. His lecture will explore how elites and corporate actors use legal and political systems to entrench private interests – often without breaching the letter of the law – while undermining democratic governance.

Focusing on empirical data and international case studies, including South Africa, Kaufmann will discuss the dynamics of elite entrenchment, the influence of fossil fuel lobbies on environmental regulation, and the use of AI and open data to track illicit capital flows. He will present key insights from his recent work, including a new State Capture Index, and reflect on the broader policy implications for democratic institutions and anti-corruption efforts.

Event Details
Date: Friday, 20 June 2025
Time: 11h00–13h00
Venue: Bellville Park Campus, Van der Horst Building, Carl Cronje Drive, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town
To RSVP for the event: https://shorturl.at/K4pD9
Microsoft Teams link for online attendance: https://shorturl.at/Dvt07

The session will conclude with an open dialogue and Q&A. We welcome your participation.