TRC for those who expose rot

There was an urgent need for a truth and reconciliation commission for whistleblowers, legislation to protect them and possibly the establishment of a Chapter 9 institution to deal with

their issues, experts have suggested.

Currently, the situation is haphazard and legislative framework fragmented – exposing whistleblowers to victimisation by organisations they informed on.

During a webinar organised by the North-West University’s Business School under its think-tank series this week, a panel of experts, including professors, a lawyer, a forensic expert and an investigative journalist, discussed the plight of whistleblowers.

A general view among the panellists was that whistleblowers must be protected and that legislation governing them must be consolidated into an integrated legislative framework.

Advocate JJ du Toit, former lead counsel at Goldstone Commission and team leader with International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, suggested there was a need for new legislation – “basically a Chapter 9 institution to deal with this aspect”.

He added: “We got good intentions without our legislation, but the time has come now to consolidate these legislation, including proper definition of a whistleblower.”

Du Toit was supporting and reinforcing the views from the Helen Suzman Foundation and Transparency International. He said civil society and journalists were more trusted by whistleblowers than the police.

“I think we owe them a lot of credit for that. It would be a mistake for the government not to involve the NGO community in this matter. It should be an inclusive process similar to Codesa or the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.”

Professor Monray Botha from the department of mercantile law at the University of Pretoria said there was need for legislation to address concerns based on the acknowledgement that corruption was on the rise.

Botha said whistleblowers were often victimised internally for speaking out against irregular activities in an organisation and therefore the legislation must protect them.