Civil society organisations have raised concerns over what they describe as critical gaps in the proposed Whistleblower Protection Bill, calling for stronger safeguards and an extension of the deadline for public comment.
The Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa, alongside other organisations, has warned that the draft legislation does not go far enough to protect whistleblowers from retaliation, particularly in the workplace.
Speaking to VOC News, Executive Director at Corruption Watch, Lebogang Ramafoko, said whistleblowing remains a high-risk act in South Africa due to the ongoing victimisation of those who expose corruption.
“This is a very important bill, and there has been extensive involvement by many organisations to try and get it right,” Ramafoko said.
“But there are eight non-negotiables that we feel are not sufficiently covered in the current draft,” she added.
She said the bill fails to adequately support dismissed whistleblowers and does not provide financial or emergency relief for those who lose their income after reporting wrongdoing.
“There is inadequate support for dismissed whistleblowers, no financial relief, and no mandatory timeline for interim protection,” Ramafoko said.
Ramafoko also raised concerns about the lack of immediate protection mechanisms and the continued retaliation against whistleblowers during investigations.
“There is no mechanism for the removal of implicated parties pending investigation, which leaves whistleblowers exposed,” Ramafoko said.
The civil society group also criticised the short timeframe for public participation, arguing that communities most affected by corruption were not adequately consulted.
Narrandes, from the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa, said disciplinary processes are often misused against whistleblowers.
“Disciplinary action is frequently used as retaliation against employees who expose corruption, and the current framework does not sufficiently prevent this,” Narrandes said.
The organisations are now calling for stronger protections, improved reporting systems, and greater public awareness to ensure whistleblowers are not left vulnerable.
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