Whistle-blowers in the hot seat at inquiry

By Anine Kriegler and Murray Hunter The arms companies have successfully avoided scrutiny at the Seriti Commission, essentially putting the whistle-blowers and critics on trial. The absence of the arms companies from the Seriti Commission is telling. The commission’s first phase was focused on the arms deal’s rationale – why the South African government bought Read more >

Five years on, Phakoe case is still wide open

The formerly convicted killers of Rustenburg councillor and corruption fighter Moss Phakoe may have been released, but the case is by no means over. So say trade union federation Cosatu and the family of the murdered man, who are questioning the competence of the South African Police Service (Saps) in investigating the case. However, the Read more >

Victory for SAPS whistleblower

Source: SAPA The labour court in Johannesburg has ordered the police to redeploy Colonel Kobus Roos to a similar position in the crime intelligence unit and to compensate him in an unfair labour practice case. “The respondents [SA Police Service] are obliged to give preference to Roos in any application for appointment or promotion in Read more >

Whistleblowers are heroes – our new e-book

Corruption Watch has released a brand new e-book focused on whistleblowers. In the book we talk about what it means to be a whistleblower, who can be a whistleblower, how to do it, and what laws protect the whistleblower. We also share the real-life stories of whistleblowers who chose to not look the other way. Read more >

Join us and celebrate whistleblowers

Corruption Watch, the Right 2 Know campaign (R2K), and other stakeholders will be shining the spotlight on the invaluable role of whistleblowers on Saturday 5 April. The organisations will be co-hosting a meeting in Soweto, which will feature real-life whistleblowers, including Mike and Cecilia Tshishonga, telling their stories and sharing their experiences about blowing the Read more >

Fighting the good fight

By Lee-Ann Alfreds Their breadth of recall is mind-boggling. Dates, figures, names and irregularities that several official investigations have tried – unsuccessfully – to unravel for over 15 years, these are the details that arms deal activist Terry Crawford-Browne and whistleblower Richard Young readily have at their fingertips. It’s not surprising, though, as both have Read more >

Brave pupils take on education department

By Valencia Talane Like many other youngsters, Zamuxolo Moutloali takes his matric exams very seriously. He has had a passion for drawing since childhood, so naturally his sights beyond the make-or-break exams are set on a course in graphic design or similar. But 2013 has not been an easy year for Zamuxolo and his sister Palesa Read more >

Leading by example in the fight against corruption

By Valencia Talane Parts one and two of our new series have highlighted different aspects of being a whistleblower. In part three, we read about a man who is helping to show his community that ordinary people speaking out is an important part of fighting corruption. Chris Setusha, a teacher at Mmutle High School in Hammanskraal north Read more >

Hard times and discrimination for whistleblowers

By Valencia Talane People who blow the whistle on corruption should not expect a pat on the back, because it may never come. Rather, they should act from the heart, knowing that their careers, and even their lives, may veer off in an unanticipated direction. This is the advice of Cecilia Sililo-Tshishonga, a wife and Read more >