Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mamoloko Kubayi officially released the proposed Protected Disclosures Bill on Thursday, calling for stakeholders across civil society, business, and labour to submit input by May 14.
Speaking in Pretoria, Kubayi emphasised that the new legislation was not only an update, but an intervention to deal with corruption networks in the country.
“Without strong and credible protection mechanisms, individuals will be discouraged from coming forward, thereby weakening accountability and undermining our collective efforts to combat corruption,” she said.
The proposed legislation arose largely from the findings of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into allegations of State Capture, led by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, as well as recommendations from the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council.
Kubayi described this Bill as a robust, all-encompassing framework for protecting whistleblowers, effectively addressing previous legislative weaknesses.
She remarked that while the current Protected Disclosures Act offered a basic structure, it had been found to be “critically flawed”, lacking standardised reporting protocols and failing to protect whistleblowers from occupational detriment.
The primary goal of the proposed Protected Disclosures Bill was to provide secure reporting avenues, shield individuals from reprisals, and ensure that disclosures were managed by capable institutions, she added.
The draft Bill is informed by local...
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