South Africa’s anti-corruption fight depends on protecting whistleblowers.

This was the message from anti-graft body, Corruption Watch (CW).

In its latest annual report, it delivers a clear message that South Africa’s fight against corruption will falter unless whistleblowers are protected. As the report notes: “Whistle-blowers have played an important role at CW over the years,” shaping court challenges, advocacy, and public education by bringing real cases into the open.

Yet blowing the whistle remains perilous. Former CW executive director Karam Singh puts it plainly: “Exposing corruption should never be in vain.” The report urges a countrywide speak-out culture that protects: “the most courageous and vulnerable who are prepared to blow the whistle”, because retaliation too often silences insiders while perpetrators escape sanction.

CW recorded 546 complaints in 2024, down from 2 110 in 2023, a decline the organisation attributes to internal restructuring that temporarily diverted resources from complaints handling. The key takeaway is that corruption has not eased; the support system is being rebuilt to serve whistleblowers more effectively.

In 2024 maladministration accounted for 34% of cases, fraud 21%, bribery or extortion 15%, and procurement irregularities 13%. Policing drew the most reports at 13%, followed by the business sector at 12%, and basic education at 11%.

CW has moved to strengthen practical support through its Whistleblower Platform for Reform, which aims to: “establish a conducive whistle-blowing environment” by pooling legal, psychosocial, and advocacy resources.

The report also calls on Parliament to close protection gaps by guaranteeing confidential reporting channels, shielding identities, funding legal representation, and enforcing penalties for retaliation.