ActionSA wants public backing for its new whistleblower protection Bill, which suggests a formal mechanism for disclosures in public procurement and robust safeguards for anonymity and protection.

The Anti-Corruption Reform Package: ActionSA’s Fallen Whistleblowers Bill forms part of ActionSA’s promise to South Africans to tackle corruption in public procurement.

The party said corruption was not a victimless crime, claiming that the proposed legislation took decisive action where the “Government of National Unity (GNU) has failed.”

The public is urged to email support for the Bill by February 15, with ActionSA Member of Parliament Malebo Kobe pointing out that corruption was not an abstract concept.

The Bill aims to strengthen whistleblower protection by significantly increasing penalties for intimidation, obstruction, or interference, with offenders facing sentences of up to 20 years’ imprisonment.

He said the Bill would introduce whistleblower incentivisation by empowering courts to award between 15% and not more than 25% of recovered funds to whistleblowers whose disclosures directly resulted in financial recovery for the State.

It will also enable private prosecution in circumstances where the National Prosecuting Authority fails or does not act.

“Given the heightened risk associated with these cases, the Bill provides for awards of recovered funds of not less than 20% and not more than 33%, ensuring corruption does not escape accountability due to State inaction.”

“From Babita Deokran to Marumo Eric Phenya, whistleblowers have paid with their lives while those implicated in corruption continue to enjoy political protection and impunity,” said Kobe.

He accused the GNU of endless broken promises, noting that whistleblower protection remained “weak, prosecutions are delayed or abandoned, and billions of rands are lost through corrupt public procurement every year”.

He said with the legislation, corruption would no longer be consequence-free.

“This is how we begin to dismantle corrupt networks. This is how we restore accountability. And this is how we fix South Africa,” he said.