Posts

Using the law to frustrate, rather than support, whistle-blowers

Whistle-blowers and their challenges and potential hardships have been in the news lately. Plans to amend the legislation governing their protection are in motion – though not at the urgent speed we would like to see. Civil society organisations, including Corruption Watch, have been asking for meaningful changes for years, and it is only with Read more >

Lamola: Public must invoke Mandela spirit in guiding whistle-blower law changes

Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Ronald Lamola urged members of the public to make meaningful contributions to the discussion document released by his department in June on amendments to whistle-blower protection legislation. Lamola delivered the keynote address at a symposium on the topic, hosted by the Public Service Commission (PSC) on Friday. In contributing, Read more >

SA public has say in how whistle-blowers should be protected

It may have taken the state capture commission and its recommendations for us to get here, but government is finally taking stock of the many public submissions from whistle-blowers, whistle-blower advocacy organisations, and civil society organisations in amending our whistle-blower protection regime. The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has released a discussion paper for Read more >

Comment on proposed reforms to SA’s whistle-blower protection regime

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DoJCD) has issued a call for written public comments on proposed reforms to South Africa’s legislative whistle-blower protection regime. Proposals are contained in a discussion document which may be downloaded for perusal. The 162-page document’s release follows recommendations made in the report of the Zondo commission, and President Read more >

World Whistle-blower Day no cause for celebration, really

World Whistle-blower Day is marked every year on 23 June. It’s tempting to say we ‘celebrate’ it, but in today’s world whistle-blowing is no cause for celebration – especially not for those who report and expose corruption in an increasingly hostile space. The very fact that we need to have whistle-blowers is in itself no Read more >

President welcomes NACAC work towards building a corruption-free SA

President Cyril Ramaphosa chaired a meeting of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council at Tuynhuys on Thursday, 18 May 2023, as part of sustaining government’s response to the recommendations of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector, Including Organs of State. President Ramaphosa appointed the council Read more >

Should Culpable Whistleblowers Be Eligible for Rewards?

By Claire BeutterFirst published on the Global Anticorruption Blog John Doe is a whistle-blower who provided critical information to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding an international bribery scheme, assisting the agency in bringing a successful enforcement action. Doe timely filed an application for reward under a provision of federal law that directs the SEC Read more >

Tenacious Saps whistle-blower persists with fight

By Kwazi Dlamini Embattled South African Police Service (Saps) whistle-blower Patricia Mashale continues her fight against the agency and has taken the matter to Parliament, petitioning the legislature for protection. Mashale made several claims of corruption within the Saps top brass, including police minister Bheki Cele. Some of the allegations include irregular appointments of senior Read more >

Lamola: Whistle-blowers’ plight receiving attention

Justice minister Ronald Lamola has paid tribute to South Africa’s whistle-blowers. Speaking on 6 February at the hybrid conference on Countering the Corrupt – Reform of the Criminal Justice Administration in South Africa, Lamola said: “You are the true embodiment of the famous saying by British philosopher John Stuart Mill: ‘Bad men need nothing more Read more >