President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday that as the fight against corruption gathers momentum, South Africa needs to urgently review its current approach not only to witness protection, but also to the broader protection of whistleblowers.

Last week chief director of financial accounting in the Gauteng Department of Health Babita Deokaran was shot outside her home, in Johannesburg. Deokaran was a witness in the Special Investigating Unit’s Covid-19-related personal protective equipment probe.

Seven suspects will appear in court on Monday for her murder.

Ramaphosa said Deokaran was a hero and  patriot, adding that whistleblowers are important guardians of the country’s democracy as they help unearth corruption at great risk to their lives.

“While numerous systems are in place to enable whistleblowers to report anonymously, we need to tighten up existing systems and provide greater support to those who publicly come forward with information,” he said.

In South Africa, legislative protection for whistleblowers includes the Protected Disclosures Act, Labour Relations Act, Companies Act, Protection against Harassment Act, and the Constitution itself.

Ramaphosa called on society to help identify where existing laws and policies are inadequate in protecting the livelihoods, reputations and safety of whistleblowers – and work together to address these.

He commended the South African Police Services and the private security teams who apprehended the seven suspects in connection with Deokaran’s murder.

Ramaphosa pointed out that the intent of the criminals who target whistleblowers is not only to silence particular individuals but also to send a message to other potential whistleblowers.

“Day by day, brave South Africans like Babita Deokaran are standing firm that they will not be party to corruption and they are prepared to bear witness against it. As the South African people we salute her and all the whistleblowers in the public and private sectors who are exposing corruption to the harshest of glares. They are doing so without expectation of acknowledgement or reward. Theirs is the highest form of public service,” he stated.

He added that though much focus in recent times has been on whistleblowers in the public sector, a debt of gratitude is also owed to those in the private sector.

“We cannot let them down. We must, and we will, ensure that their disclosures result in prosecutions and do much more to ensure that they are protected from harm. As South Africans, we want to send a strong message that we will not be intimidated. Those behind the killing of witnesses and whistleblowers will be arrested and face the might of the law, as will all who are found guilty of the very corruption these assassins are trying to cover up,” he ended.