OPEN LETTER
We, the Catholic Bishops, stand in solidarity with South Africa’s courageous whistle-blowers
A letter of gratitude and solidarity for the brave men and women who have sacrificed their lives and livelihoods to be whistle-blowers against corruption in South Africa.
Dear courageous brothers and sisters,
We, bishops of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference, gathered in plenary from 14-18 August 2023, felt compelled to send a message of gratitude and support to you, honest South Africans, also known as whistle-blowers.
Like John the Baptist (cf. Mark. 6:17-29), you tell the truth even at the expense of your convenience and life in the interest of the common good. We assure you of our continued solidarity and prayers. For their information and action about your plight, we are also sending this letter to the relevant political leaders, appropriate government offices and civil bodies that concern themselves with your cause.
We applaud you for the gift of courage and self-sacrifice as whistle-blowers. Your example of sacrificing self-interests and comfort for the sake of the common good is something our country currently needs in abundance. We are confident that “the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).
We gratefully acknowledge your contribution to the disclosure of corruption in government departments, municipalities and state-owned companies heard by the Zondo Commission. Successful prosecution in cases of corruption has often been made possible through your contribution as whistle-blowers. You are a threat to those whose god has become their stomachs and are doing their best to let corruption define the character of our country. Thank you for standing up against them.
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We know of your hardships as whistleblowers, how some of you have experienced harassment, recrimination, and dismissal and how some of you continue to suffer financial and emotional stress after exposing corruption. We know of those who have been killed, leaving behind families in pain and with unanswered questions, particularly when the state fails to prosecute those who killed them. The heavy price that you are paying is not going unnoticed, and it is not in vain. Thanks to your courage, society is waking up to the evil of corruption and is opposing it.
A candlelight vigil for corruption whistle-blower Babita Deokaran at the office of the premier on 26 August, 2021 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo: Gallo Images / Fani Mahuntsi)
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In solidarity with you, we welcome the contemplated legal reforms and the proposals of civil society, including broadening the definition of a whistle-blower in terms of the Protected Disclosure Act of 2000, criminalising retribution against a whistle-blower, the inclusion of whistle-blowers under witness protection mechanisms, the provision of specialised courts for whistle-blowing cases, and the provision of legal aid and creation of funding to cover the legal costs of whistle-blowers. We appeal to the Justice Department to find a way to protect whistle-blowers in the interim while the laws are being reviewed.
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We stand with whistle-blowers who have raised concerns about the delays being made by the National Prosecution Authority in holding to account the people and the businesses that the Zondo Commission recommended for prosecution. The sacrifices made by the whistle-blowers should not be in vain. Justice must be seen to be done. It has been delayed for long enough.
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Our hope and prayer are that the proposed legal reforms on whistle-blowers recently released by the Department of Justice will soon translate into effective action for improved safety and protection of whistle-blowers.
Together with Prophet Amos and in solidarity with the whistle-blowers, we cry out in prayer: “Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream” (Amos 5:24).
Sincerely yours in the Lord, on behalf of all the bishops. DM
Bishop Sithembele Sipuka is Bishop of Mthatha and SACBC President.
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Amen. We can only pray for peace and justice to prevail. Society is still too blind to see what is happening infront of their eyes. The victims carry the heavy burden of knowing the truth but not being able to do anything about it. The minds of people cannot comprehend the level of criminality being practiced, if they did know, all Hell will break loose. We can only pray to God 🙏
Shame you aren’t as spoken out about your own members and their abuse of children
Dear Bishop Sipuka and the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference. As one of the state capture whistleblowers, I thank you for this public acknowledgement and expression of solidarity. However, I’ve come to question the sincerity of such public statements when they’re not accompanied by private action. Have you expressed such sentiments in private to any of the persons you address in your letter? I certainly have not been contacted. The state capture whistleblowers are individuals, real persons with names. Why do you not address us by name? We are cast into obscurity and hiding by those who seek to silence us, please don’t add to this obscurity by casting us as one amorphous mass. I urge you to reach out to actual whistleblowers by name – it would mean the world to them. I appreciate your message greatly, please go that extra step to bring real force to your expression of solidarity. God bless you.