At the Department of Public Service and Administration’s International Anti-Corruption Day event, it wasn’t statistics or slogans that held the audience’s attention—it was the case studies. When Mr Ben Theron, CEO of The Whistleblower House (TWBH), took the podium, he spoke not only about corruption, but about the people who risk everything to expose it.
He began by redefining a term that is often misused: whistleblower. Not a saboteur. Not a disgruntled employee. A whistleblower, Mr Theron explained, is someone who reports wrongdoing in good faith because they believe someone must take action. It is an act rooted in integrity, not personal gain. Over the past three years, The Whistleblower House has quietly supported 434 such individuals—ordinary South Africans from government departments, state-owned entities, law enforcement agencies, private companies, and nonprofit organisations. Despite operating with only four staff members and limited publicity, TWBH has become a refuge for people who find themselves at the centre of storms they never sought to create.
Many of these individuals arrive frightened and overwhelmed. Nearly 88% need legal support because they suddenly face disciplinary charges, legal threats, or attempts to silence them. Almost half need psychological counselling due to the stress and retaliation that often follow their disclosures. And because court dates stretch years into the future, many remain in limbo, unsure of their futures and increasingly...
As the Department of Justice (DOJ) has established its enforcement priorities over the last year, companies in regulated industries have worked to balance risk and react to the government’s areas o...