10 April 2026
The Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA) welcomes the publication of the Protected Disclosures Bill for public comment as an important opportunity to strengthen protection for whistle-blowers and confront the climate of fear that continues to silence workers and other citizens who expose wrongdoing.
For too long, people who have spoken out against corruption, abuse, maladministration and unethical conduct have too often paid a devastating personal and professional price. Many have faced dismissal, intimidation, isolation, financial ruin and serious threats to their safety, including death. That reality has weakened accountability in both the public and private sectors and has discouraged many others from coming forward.
FEDUSA’s preliminary view is that South Africa urgently needs a stronger, more credible and more worker-centred framework that does more than encourage disclosures in principle. It must provide real protection in practice. That means secure reporting channels, meaningful confidentiality safeguards, access to support, consequences for retaliation and systems capable of acting on disclosures properly
and without delay.
The Bill raises important issues that go to the heart of workplace justice and democratic accountability. Workers are often among the first to detect corruption, procurement irregularities, financial misconduct, abuses of authority and other forms of institutional wrongdoing. They should not be left exposed when they act in the public interest.
FEDUSA will be making a detailed submission on the Bill in line with its mandate to workers, its members and the broader public. Our submission will assess whether the proposed measures are strong enough to protect workers across different sectors and forms of employment, whether the enforcement mechanisms are practical and accessible, and whether the legislation places sufficient obligations on employers and institutions to prevent retaliation and respond meaningfully to disclosures.
Whistle-blower protection cannot be treated as a narrow technical matter. It is a labour issue, a governance issue and a public interest issue. A legal framework that fails to protect those who speak out ultimately protects corruption itself.
FEDUSA encourages workers, unions, civil society and the broader public to engage the public comment process seriously. South Africa needs legislation that not only recognises the courage of whistle-blowers, but materially defends their livelihoods, dignity and safety.
END.