Johannesburg - Justice and Constitutional Development Minister, Ronald Lamola, addressed the Public Service Commission’s symposium on the protection of whistle-blowers on Friday.
According to the department, South Africa’s whistle-blower legislation is the Protected Disclosures Act.
Lamola said it should be considered a criminal offence for an individual to seek retribution against a whistle-blower who has made a protected disclosure.
“Moreover, the state should offer protection to whistle-blowers and their immediate family members if their safety or property is at risk. Whistle-blowers should be recognised as witnesses under the Witness Protection Act.
“We eagerly anticipate the contributions of society to create a society where morality and integrity are matched by enthusiasm for justice and not vengeance,” Lamola said.
He said the current question they were grappling with was what happened in the interim.
“While we are reviewing the act, whistle-blowers are being victimised now. We are working with private sector players and civil society to navigate this difficult conundrum. As we speak now, one can only exercise a power or action empowered by law,” Lamola said.
In 2021, then-Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele, said the importance of whistle-blowers in the fight against corruption could not be underestimated.
“I want to express our unwavering commitment to the protection of whistle-blowers and also our preparedness to deal with our weaknesses where they exist because without (whistle-blowers) the struggle against corruption is going to be a very long journey.
“I call upon whistle-blowers to not stop their bravery and to continue to advise on what the weaknesses are in the machinery to protect them,” Gungubele said.
Gungubele said corruption undermined the state’s delivery of services to the people.
The Star