CURRENTLY ON AIR ⇒
  • Highlights of the Days Programmes
    Friday, 10:05 pm - 3:30 am
    [ - ]

feedback@radioislam.org.za

logo


((( Listen Live )))))
Radio Islam Logo


Durban Activists call for greater support and protection for Whistleblowers on Anti-Corruption Day

Azra Hoosen | ah@radioislam.co.za
13 December 2024 | 09:00 CAT
3 min read

As South Africa marked International Anti-Corruption Day, Durban-based activists raised alarm over the critical need to protect whistle-blowers. Speaking to Radio Islam, Dr Lubna Nadvi of the Active Citizens Movement (ACM) emphasised the organisation’s call for stronger government measures to safeguard individuals who risk their lives to expose corruption.

Nadvi highlighted the campaign’s central focus: ensuring that both the killers and the mastermind behind Babita Deokaran’s murder are brought to justice. The idea is that she gets justice and that her family and all of her supporters get justice. “I mean, she was just simply doing her job, and unfortunately, there were people out there who thought that it was appropriate to take her life. This is what we are saying. It’s not okay,” she said.

The campaign seeks accountability for those engaged in corruption and unethical behaviour, ensuring that justice prevails. While the gunmen have been arrested, Nadvi underscored the pressing need to uncover and prosecute those who orchestrated the killing, noting that the fight for justice remains a long and ongoing struggle.

She emphasised the need for robust legislation to protect whistle-blowers who expose corruption. She noted that whistle-blowers often face threats to their lives, personal safety, and livelihoods, with superiors retaliating through dismissal or economic hardship. The ACM has made submissions to the president’s office, the Department of Justice, the Zondo Commission, and other structures, offering recommendations on safeguarding these individuals. “The protection that we are demanding in terms of an inclusive and complete set of legislation is that those who blow the whistle do not face that kind of threat and vulnerability to their lives, jobs, families, or security. People should feel comfortable and actually quite confident in terms of blowing the whistle; they know that they will be protected,” she said.

She highlighted that there’s so much corruption unfolding across all levels of government and society. “People are afraid to expose it, and that’s why it continues because we don’t have sufficient protection for whistleblowers,” she said.

Nadvi acknowledged that while the president has made some pronouncements and structures have been discussed to protect whistle-blowers, significant gaps remain. She emphasised that existing legislation is inadequate, leaving whistle-blowers and their loved ones vulnerable to retaliation. Many are still forced to go into hiding after exposing corruption, as there is no comprehensive legal framework to safeguard them. Despite the numerous submissions to the Department of Justice, the government has yet to implement or interpret robust protective measures.

She explained the establishment of the Whistleblower House, a civil society initiative designed to support individuals who expose corruption. Led by whistle-blower Cynthia Stimpel, the Whistleblower House provides assistance and understanding to those who have experienced similar challenges. “It’s only a whistle-blower who understands the plight of another because they’ve been through that pain,” Nadvi added.

Nadvi emphasised the crucial role of civil society in drawing attention to whistle-blower protection and the fight against corruption. Civil society has campaigned persistently, pressuring public institutions to take action, but results have fallen short. Nadvi called for a stronger partnership between civil society and government, noting that while citizens can keep up the pressure and demand justice, the government, with its resources and legislative power, must take decisive action.

She also urged the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to utilise the wealth of information already available and prosecute those implicated, stressing that excuses are no longer acceptable. A collaborative effort is essential to effectively combat corruption and ensure accountability. “We need the government to come to the party with resources and legislation to make sure that they do what their role is: ending corruption in our society,” asserted Nadvi.

LISTEN to the full interview with Ml Junaid Kharsany and Dr Lubna Nadvi, ACM Exco Member and community activist, here.

ADVERTISE HERE

Prime Spot!!!

Contact:
advertisingadmin@radioislam.co.za 

Related Articles

Apartheid-Era Trials Unearthed in New Book by Yunus Carrim

Apartheid-Era Trials Unearthed in New Book by Yunus Carrim

Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za 5-minute read 29 August 2025 | 18:30 CAT The painful yet powerful legacy of South Africa’s liberation struggle has been brought into sharper focus with the release of Attacking the Heart of Apartheid, a new book by historian and...

read more
Dr Taskeen Fathima Docrat: Researching Rooibos

Dr Taskeen Fathima Docrat: Researching Rooibos

Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za 28 August 2025 3-minute read A scientist turning a proudly South African brew into a weapon against one of the world’s toughest diseases. Dr Taskeen Fathima Docrat from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology is leading...

read more
The Middle East Report

The Middle East Report

Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za 29 August 2025 | 11:41 CAT 3-minute read Gaza ceasefire mediators have diverging objectives While Qatar and Egypt have have persuaded Hamas to accept the month-old ceasefire proposal, the United States and Israel have...

read more
The Media Lens

The Media Lens

28 August 2025 | 10:25 CAT 2-minute read Silencing the Truth: Gaza Journalists Under Fire In today’s segment of the Media Lens, Ibrahim Deen delivered a searing critique of how Western media coverage is quietly facilitating the erosion of press freedom—and, with it,...

read more
The Asia Pacific Report

The Asia Pacific Report

FORUM-ASIA reports shrinking civic space across Asia as HRD crackdowns increase 28 August 2025 | 09:15 CAT 2-minute read In its sixth biennial Defending in Numbers: Reclaiming Civic Space, Unbroken Voices report, released on 14 July 2025, FORUM-ASIA delivers a stark...

read more

Subscribe to our Newsletter

0 Comments