Dr Uduak Johnson | Lecturer | MANCOSA | mail me |
Every society is built around the rule of law and adherence to that law. However, the custodians of the law (police and lawmakers) can’t be present in every instance where there is a breach of legal and ethical behaviour.
Citizens must be equally invested in being law-abiding citizens and exposing instances where questionable behaviour occurs.
Whistle blowing has exposed many cases of corruption and unlawful behaviour including several recent cases involving South Africa’s most prominent citizens. However, this has come with significant risks, as many whistle blowers face intimidation, bullying and sometimes even grievous bodily harm or death. Despite this, the role of a whistle blower is essential for economic growth.
Reporting illegal activities – only for the brave few
The role of whistle blowers is important in any society. However, it is crucial in developing countries that are challenging the current global economic powers. We must highlight the important role that whistle blowers play in the growth of these economies. The role of whistle blowing has increased in South Africa over the past ten years.
Whistleblowing saw the creation of the Zondo Commission of Inquiry, where civil societies demanded that significant action be taken against those involved in corruption and state capture.
Another important whistle blowing case was the reporting on corruption at the Gauteng Department of Health. Finally, another prominent whistle blowing case was the tell-all interview from former Eskom Chief Executive Andre de Ruyter on eNCA, where he reported on alleged corruption at the power utility.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has highlighted the brave role of whistle blowers in South Africa. However, these parties continuously face all kinds of discrimination. Our research paper highlights this issue from the perspective of whistle blowers who shared their experiences with the media. We examined these cases using a critical social justice approach and applied ethical theories to compile our research.
There needs to be governance reform
One of the key issues that our paper discusses is the need for governance reform. While many governments have acknowledged the important role of whistle blowers, very little has been done to create platforms where whistle blowers feel safe.
In some countries, whistle blowers are rewarded for coming forward and exposing corruption and other illegal activities. Despite this, these parties still face significant reprisals and discrimination.
Even though whistle blowing is prominent in most countries, governments and legal authorities are sometimes guilty of not following through with the investigations into cases of suspected corruption.
A platform to address rising corruption risks
In February this year, the Financial Action Task Force greylisted South Africa citing a lack of systems and processes which assesses and manages the risk of corruption and money laundering. If encouraged, whistle blowing would have created a platform to address rising corruption risks.
If used effectively, it could be a significant weapon in our efforts to recover our economic position. Additionally, whistleblowing is the biggest weapon civil organisations can use to keep governments in check and encourage meaningful societal change.
In conclusion
Presenting our paper at the 2023 BRICS Summit is a major platform for highlighting this issue. The BRICS cluster is currently showing significant value in challenging the traditional dominance enjoyed by Western economies.
Other countries have noticed the BRICS cluster’s value and applied for membership. BRICS is posing a serious challenge to the hegemony of the US dollar as the exclusive global currency for international economic transactions.
South Africa could play a central role in this recovery. However, this will only be possible if we have an economy that is driven by a financially strong private and public sector. This can only be achieved if whistle blowing is encouraged rather than left vulnerable.
Government has issued a discussion paper for public opinion on issues related to adjusting the policies related to whistleblowing and the protection of whistle blowers. This is good news for the future of whistle blowers in South Africa.
