IN THE NEWS

In 2002, Cynthia Cooper, Vice President of Internal Audit at WorldCom scandal, uncovered fraudulent accounting entries that overstated the company’s income by $3.8 billion. Working alongside her audit team, she identified accounting irregularities and questioned company officials about unsupported entries being made across company accounts.

A MONUMENT to honour slain whistleblower Babita Deokaran will be unveiled at the Mount Edgecombe Shree Mariammen Temple on August 9. 

After nearly five years since Babita Deokaran's murder, her family have expressed hope that  the masterminds behind her assassination will be uncovered as the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) continues to investigate her corruption allegations at the Tembisa Hospital. 

Colonel Gavin Jacob has told the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry that in February 2026, a suspect approached investigators with details about a R200m cocaine consignment stolen from a Hawks building in KwaZulu-Natal, widely believed to be an inside job. Jacob’s own role in the initial seizure of the cocaine is under scrutiny.

Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has called for stronger protections for whistleblowers and anti-corruption activists, warning that too many people who stand up against crime and corruption continue to be targeted for doing the right thing.

Organisations across civil society led by Corruption Watch (CW) have called for the Department of Justice (DoJ) to consider extending the deadline for public comments for the Protected Disclosures Bill, 2026. The group notes serious gaps in the current version of the Bill and inadequate public awareness as its reasons.

Families of the late whistle-blowers Jimmy Mohlala and Sammy Mphatlanyane have welcomed the explosive allegations made by suspended Mpumalanga Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Daphney Manamela, saying her claims could finally bring long-awaited truth and justice to cases that have haunted them for years.

Experts weigh in on South Africa's proposed bill, highlighting both its potential and significant gaps in safeguarding whistle-blowers.

The Whistleblower House (TWBH) welcomes the long awaited publication of the Protected Disclosures Bill, 2026 for public comment. The Bill represents a meaningful shift in how South Africa approaches whistleblowing and moves closer to recognising the realities faced by those who speak up.

As South Africans have been encouraged to comment on proposed legislation around the protection of whistleblowers, some civil society groups and unions have welcomed the draft bill.

Is the Protected Disclosures Bill a step in the right direction? Executive Director at The Whistleblower House Ben Theron as well as Academic and whistleblower, Dr Athol Williams, discuss the matter on a SABC News broadcast.

South Africa’s whistleblowers are dying. The system, not just its enforcement, must change. Careers are destroyed, livelihoods disappear, families are pulled into hardship, and in the most tragic cases, lives are taken. We all know the name Babita Deokaran. She stood for accountability and she was killed for it. Her death shook the nation. It led to promises. It led to commitments but it did not lead to a system that actually protects those who come forward.

Police say Matipandile Sotheni, once a member of the Special Task Force, Maripandile Sotheni, 41, pulled the trigger in the December drive-by shooting that killed whistleblower Marius van der Merwe.

School learners in Ekurhuleni did not hold back during a stakeholder engagement unpacking South Africa’s National Drug Master Plan (NDMP), confronting officials with blunt questions about drugs in schools, whistleblower protection and whether the government is truly ready to respond.

In many communities, crime is not always committed by strangers. Sometimes the person responsible is someone people know personally, a friend, neighbour, or even a family member. This raises a difficult and often emotional question: what should someone do if they know a loved one has committed a crime?

Financial support for those who speak out is coming, and lifestyle audits for prosecutors. Whistleblowers have often paid a heavy price for exposing corruption. Many have faced threats, job losses, violence and even death, with little in the way of state protection. Now, a long-awaited bill to protect them will be tabled.

Mtubatuba, KwaZulu-Natal – A breakthrough in a nearly four-year-old murder case has brought some relief to the family of slain Gauteng businessman and whistleblower Marumo Eric Phenya, as police arrested the alleged hitman in northern KwaZulu-Natal. Minenhle Mthembu, 30, is accused of gunning down Phenya in a hail of bullets in Roodepoort on 17 October 2022, shortly after the victim exposed corruption in a multimillion-rand tender at the Department of Home Affairs.

A statement by Norman Kgosiyagofa Montjane, Attorney for the Phenya Family says Johannah Phenya, widow of the assassinated whistleblower, Marumo Eric Phenya, has confirmed that the Gauteng Provincial Office of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) has advised her of the arrest of one of the alleged hitmen linked to her husband’s murder.

A joint investigation led by the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF) and The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) reveals the large-scale plundering spoliation of the Mangrove Marine Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and highlights whistleblower Kim Rebholz's extraordinary courage.

The Ad Hoc Committee investigating corruption within South Africa's law enforcement has wrapped up its public participation phase this week, hearing alarming testimonies from whistle-blowers, a former Crime Intelligence officer, serving police members, and a Member of Parliament.

President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasised the urgent need for enhanced protection measures for whistleblowers and witnesses in high-profile cases. Ramaphosa was reacting to yet another alleged hit on a key Madlanga Commission of Inquiry witness on Thursday.

On 13 July 2025, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the establishment of the Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System. This followed serious allegations made by Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi about the existence and operation of a sophisticated criminal syndicate that has allegedly infiltrated the criminal justice system in South Africa.

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.

The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has heard how a whistleblower was murdered shortly after exposing an unlawful Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) operation that led to the arrest of several officers.

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: whistleblowers need to be protected. At all costs. It takes a brave person to put the interests of others above their own, risking their life when it comes to lifting the lid on corruption.

The kidnapping and assault of senior anti-corruption investigator Matthew Sesoko has sent shockwaves through South Africa’s law enforcement community, raising urgent questions about the safety of whistle-blowers and the integrity of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.

'702 Breakfast' recently sat down with the whistleblower who was named by former Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi as someone who blew the lid on major corruption at the Marabastad Home Affairs office in Pretoria.

Skukuza – A new report presented at the 3rd Technical Meeting of the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group, currently underway in Skukuza, Mpumalanga, has revealed that G20 member states have made significant progress in implementing the 2019 High-Level Principles for the Effective Protection of Whistleblowers. However, the report also highlighted persistent challenges in enforcement, data collection, and the scope of coverage.

JOHANNESBURG - The Madlanga Commission Inquiry is scheduled to begin on Wednesday. It's been established to investigate allegations the criminal justice system has been captured. Experts and whistleblowers will provide testimony during the proceedings.

Whistle-blower Babita Deokaran’s murder remains under investigation, but the Hawks seem to be flailing and Tembisa Hospital is still beset by graft. Crime reporter Jeff Wicks probes the ongoing malfeasance.

Whistleblower Thuso Bloem was left in limbo for over a decade after uncovering alleged maladministration and corruption at Greater Taung Local Municipality under the Acting Municipal Manager, Mr Mpho Mofokeng. At the beginning of August, the High Court ruled in favour of the whistleblower, reaffirming the Public Protector’s remit to order remedial action for whistleblowers, the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF) said today.

Co-chairperson of the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group, Advocate Andy Mothibi, says investigations into the murder of Babita Deokaran will be concluded soon.

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) says it is finalising its investigation into the murder of Gauteng health official Babita Deokaran, who was gunned down in 2021 after exposing alleged tender corruption at Tembisa Hospital.

There are growing concerns about the protection of forensic auditors and other government employees who face possible danger. The Whistleblower House executive director Ben Theron discusses the importance of safeguarding whistleblowers.

JOHANNESBURG - Are the KwaZulu-Natal police commissioners’ startling revelations enough for President Cyril Ramaphosa to act on Sunday against members of his cabinet who have grievous accusations hanging over their heads? Countless whistleblowers have been sounding the alarm on corruption in SOE’s.

While whistle-blowers are at the frontline in the war against corruption, organisations and activists do not believe enough is being done to protect them and to bring the "masterminds" behind some of their murders to book. 

In corporate governance theory, whistleblowing is presented as a noble act. It is the final alarm bell when internal controls, risk systems and ethics programmes fail to deter wrongdoing. But in practice, whistleblowers often pay the price for their courage.

We can, and must, become a country that not only protects whistle-blowers, but celebrates them. Whistle-blowers are the lifeline of the future of this country and we owe them more than silence.

Whistleblowers in South Africa (SA) have been described as indispensable to the country’s fight against crime.

The South African government is not averse to paying whistleblowers, and the topic remains under discussion, Public Service and Administration Minister Mzamo Buthelezi has said.

In the late 2010s, former South African President Jacob Zuma was exposed for state capture with the notorious Gupta family, costing taxpayers billions wasted dollars. This was exposed by the people who risked their safety to report corruption in state bodies and the contractors working for them. But whistleblowers are often ousted from their jobs and even assassinated. That’s why Cynthia Stimpel, who blew the whistle on the late Dudu Myeni, is walking 700 kilometres across the Cape Camino to raise awareness. FRANCE 24’s team on the ground reports.

Whilst whistle-blowing can be described as one mechanism that can be instrumental in addressing systemic corruption in the continent - it often comes at an immense cost for the whistle-blowers. One South African whistleblower and activist Cynthia Stimpel will be walking 700 kilometres along the Cape Camino to raise awareness and funds for whistleblowers, who face serious consequences for speaking out.

The National Lotteries Commission has begun a reparation process that will lead to apologies to former staff members who were dismissed for being whistle-blowers of corruption at the public entity.

Several civic organisations gathered outside South African Revenue Service (SARS) headquarters in Tshwane and demonstrated for whistleblowers' safety.

Activist Cynthia Stimpel will be walking 700 kilometres along the Cape Camino to raise awareness and funds for whistleblowers, who face serious consequences for speaking out.

JOHANNESBURG - Outgoing Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has once again called for financial incentives for whistleblowers.

JOHANNESBURG - Outgoing Chief Justice Raymond Zondo strongly suggests financial incentives, to encourage reporting of corruption.

THREE years after the assassination of Babita Deokaran, there is still no sign that the government is committed to the protection of whistle-blowers, says Tebogo Khaas, the chairperson of Public Interest South Africa.

Friday marks the third year since the assassination of Babita Deokaran and still, we're no closer to putting in place, effective measures to support whistleblowers.

Silenced but not forgotten: Crucial new developments have emerged since the commemoration of whistleblower Babita Deokaran's death.

Democracy dies in darkness, so every South African who exposes malfeasance and corruption should be honoured, according to NGO Public Interest SA.

The department of justice’s urgent court bid to gag a whistleblower known as Mario Rocha, who has accused senior officials of corruption, has suffered a blow after the Pretoria High Court dismissed its case with costs.

Every year on 23 June we remember whistle-blowers around the world who have braved threats to their lives and livelihoods to expose corruption on both small and large scales. We also reflect on what we, as a society and as individuals, are doing to make the environment for blowing the whistle more enabling and encouraging.

The South African government is hoping to strengthen protections for whistleblowers who report on corruption in business and government. Proponents say it's not only about making whistleblowers feel comfortable coming forward, but also about protecting them from retaliation. VOA’s Ihsaan Haffejee reports

We began to mourn for Babita Deokaran only after she was gunned down. As a consequence, her name has become a symbol of whistle-blowers’ suffering in South Africa. She was, essentially, a martyr.

That is the belief of Mzukisi Makatse, the attorney who first blew the whistle on corruption at the National Lotteries Commission – and lost his job, his car, his house, the hope of marrying the mother of his three children…

The South African Human Rights commission says whistleblowing is an essential weapon in the fight against corruption, perhaps the single most important obstacle to SA achieving the status it needs to achieve as a ‘moral’ Rainbow Nation.

The SAPS officer who got the wheels going in bringing down Dr Nandipha Magudumana and her partner, convicted rapist Thabo Bester has gained national recognition.

This week’s saga on how the media covers the Fishrot corruption case is baffling and succeeded in doing nothing but sow unnecessary confusion.

Cynthia Stimpel delivered a beautiful and brilliant speech at this year's International Anti-Corruption Day which took place on 8 December 2023.

In a celebration of courage, integrity, and ethical citizenship, we are pleased to announce the nominees for the highly anticipated whistleblowers Awards. These awards recognise individuals and organisations who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to exposing corruption and wrongdoing.

The decision an individual makes to blow the whistle on wrongdoing is daunting and often invites negative social and workplace consequences for them.

As a society, we need to change that by encouraging and destigmatising whistleblowing while we acknowledge and celebrate those who do it.

Whistleblowers are often harassed, demoted or dismissed from work; they risk financial ruin, psychological trauma and, in some cases, they even pay with their lives. But despite the challenges, whistleblowers continue to display immense courage, standing up against injustice when no one else will stand with them.

Not enough is done about the bullying tactics employees and employers have towards whistleblowers. There should be sanctions for senior officials who avoid or hide disclosures when they are presented to them.

Until the mastermind of the murder of whistleblower Babita Deokaran is brought to book, justice is not served.

The case against six men accused of the murder of whistleblower Babita Deokaran has been postponed to the 15th of August 2023 in the High Court in Johannesburg.

Despite being cleared of disciplinary charges in arbitration, Ngoye remains suspended as the rail agency seeks to appeal the decision in the Labour Court.

The South African Council of Churches, in collaboration with the Whistleblower House, hosted a webinar on the crucial role of whistleblowers play in the fight against corruption.

The protection of whistleblowers has come under the spotlight in recent years and was brought into sharp focus by the assassination of Gauteng Health Manager Babita Deokoran in 2021.

The civil society organisation, Whistleblower House, says that it is happy with the steps taken by the justice department in publishing recommendations on reforming the whistleblowing legislative regime.

One of South Africa’s bravest whistleblowers, Cynthia Stimpel, speaks to BizNews about the huge personal sacrifices being made by the country’s whistleblowers; the terrible losses some have suffered – and the extreme vilification that is used to discredit those who dare speak truth to power.

Journalists Jeff Wicks and Mandy Wiener said that South Africa could do more to protect whistleblowers who expose corruption at public and private entities.

Martha Ngoye is a whistleblower for the vast corruption at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa). She is Prasa's group executive for legal. On Thursday she delivered an address at the launch of New South Institute, of which she is a board member. Here is an edited version of her address.

Murray and his son's killings will have a chilling effect on all those who seek to pursue criminals and hold them to account in the way that he did. That is precisely the impact that these extraction networks and criminal syndicates seek to achieve.

‘Like many who are today called whistle-blowers, we never set out to become whistle-blowers… We were just normal human beings who knew right from wrong, regular employees who did their job with the utmost care” – Mzukisi Makatse and Sello Qhina

‘My comrades called me naive’: Themba Maseko refused to participate in the Gupta family’s attempts to capture the state’s advertising budget.

Martha Ngoye has been the central figure at the rail agency in its fight against corruption, helping Prasa win court victories against service providers Swifambo, Siyangena and Siyaya.

In the recent case of Lawson vs FMR LLC, the Supreme Court ruled that employees of private companies engaged by public companies are covered by the whistle blower protections of Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 (“SOX”).

President Cyril Ramaphosa has paid tribute to whistleblowers who lifted the lid on corruption allegations linked to state capture.

“Vindicated and exonerated” is how former head of security at Parliament, Zelda Holtzman, reacted to a settlement that ended an almost two-year-long labour dispute.