Corruption Watch, a non-government organisation, seeks to act as a tip-off service for South Africans with information about corrupt activities. It will have the capacity to analyse information and forward leads to state agencies that deal with corruption.

But it stands outside the government, does not have legal standing, and lacks the powers of agencies such as the Special Investigating Unit and the Hawks.

Instead, it can merely hope that, whoever is in government, the agency to which it passes information will act on it and use its powers to carry out proper investigations.

Speaking at the launch in Johannesburg yesterday, Justice Minister Jeff Radebe likened the fight against corruption to the struggle against apartheid.

"Corruption seeks to extinguish the flame that shines on all South Africans, the flame that promises freedom and security for all, the flame of democracy."

And indeed the reach and scope of corruption has proved to be significant and all-encompassing.

Last week's briefing by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan on the parlous state of Limpopo's administration is a case in point - corruption appears to have been the hallmark of doing business in the province.

What Limpopo illustrates is that business people know that civil servants are willing to subvert tender processes for financial rewards.

How Corruption Watch will help untangle the soul-destroying mess that South Africa has fallen into is not quite clear.

Until there is a formal agreement between the organisation and state agencies, and a real will to eliminate corrupt activities, Corruption Watch might get stalled at being a R1 SMS line and not much else. And that is a real pity.