Whistleblower, Patricia Mashale, says a truly safe South Africa for whistleblowers is one where anyone who retaliates against them is prosecuted and handed the maximum sentence, with no room for leniency.
Her remarks follow the unveiling of the Protected Disclosures Bill by Justice and Constitutional Development Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi, on Thursday, legislation aimed at strengthening safeguards for those who come forward.
Government says that while the current Protection of Disclosures Act offers some safeguards, the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into allegations of State Capture, also known as the Zondo Commission, identified significant gaps in the legislation, including vague procedures, weak protection measures and limited support for whistleblowers.
Speaking to Ynews, Mashale, a former senior administrative clerk at the South African Police Service (SAPS), shared the challenges whistleblowers face, drawing from her own experience.
“The biggest fear is retaliation, fear to lose your job, harm, fear for the safety of family members and eventually the fear of getting killed,” expressed Mashale.
The bill comes amid growing concern over the safety of whistleblowers, following high-profile killings such as that of Babita Deokaran, whose death highlighted the dangers faced by those exposing corruption.
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