The Political Economy of High-Stakes Whistleblowing in South Africa
Keywords:
whistleblowing, political economy, fallout, power imbalance
Abstract
Whistleblowing, which is when organizational insiders expose wrongdoing to an authority that can effect action, has been established as a mechanism that possesses the capacity to combat, or event prevent, high-level malfeasance. Much global research has explored the frequency and the nature of retaliation that whistleblowers are subjected to. However, there is a dearth of research regarding the political economy of whistleblowing. This paper, employing documents as sources of data, has sought to explore the global pattern of fallout experienced by whistleblowers, with the experiences of South African whistleblowers being testament to this. Thus, the cases of South African high-stakes whistleblowing are given particular attention. This paper asserts that weak whistleblower protection legislation is a large contributor as to why whistleblowers face frequent and severe reprisals in South Africa. It also determines that there is an absolute power imbalance between those who report wrongdoing and those who perpetuate it. Ultimately, this paper’s unique contribution lies in establishing that the issue of weak legislation is compounded by the neoliberal political economy. With South Africa exemplifying the neoliberal political economy, initiatives aimed at addressing issues of corruption (such as reinforcing whistleblower protection laws) become difficult in a system where criminal and fraudulent capital is rife, and a wide spectrum of corrupt and socially pernicious practices are common. This paper does, however, concede that pro-social practices can exist within such a system, with the actions of whistleblowers being evidence of this. However, revising the whistleblower protection instrument would require cultural and political-economic resistance to neoliberalism.
References
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Uys, T., & Radulovic, U. (2025). Truth to Power: A Historical Overview of Whistleblowing in South Africa. South African Review of Sociology, 55(1), 95-112. https://doi.org/10.1080/21528586.2025.2493730
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Bjørkelo, B., & Matthiesen, S.B. (2011). Preventing and Dealing with Retaliation Against Whistleblowers. In D. Lewis, & W. Vandekerckhove (Eds.), Whistleblowing and Democratic Values (pp. 127-149). The International Whistleblowing Research Network.
Breytenbach, G., & Brodie, N. (2017). Rule of Law: A Memoir. Pan Macmillan South Africa.
Bryman, A. (2012). Social Research Methods (Fourth edition). Oxford University Press.
Chappell, B. (2017, May 17). Chelsea Manning, Once Sentenced To 35 Years, Walks Free After 7 Years. National Public Radio. https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/05/17/528731790/after-serving-7-years-of-a-35-year-sentence-chelsea-manning-to-walk-free
Dávid Barrett, E. (2023). State capture and development: a conceptual framework. Journal of International Relations and Development, 26, 224-244. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41268-023-00290-6
Dlamini, S. (2019, February 28). #PICInquiry: En Masse Resignation Could Have Cost PIC its Fais Licence. Cape Times. https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/cape-times/20190228/281900184502130
Feinstein, S., & Devine, T. (2021). Are whistleblowing laws working? A global study of whistleblower protection litigation. Government Accountability Project and the International Bar Association.
Greenwald, G., MacAskill, E., & Poitras, L. (2013, June 11). Edward Snowden: the whistleblower behind the NSA surveillance revelations. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/09/edward-snowden-nsa-whistleblower-surveillance
Kenny, K., & Fanchini, M. (2024). Troubling organizational violence with Judith Butler: Surviving whistleblower reprisals. Gender, Work & Organization, 31(4), 1425-1443. https://doi.org/10.1111/gwao.13083
Kostić, J.Ž. (2024). The Challenges Related to Whistleblowing in the Field of Environmental Crime Prevention. NBP. Nauka, bezbednost, policija, 29(3), 215–226. https://doi.org/10.5937/nabepo29-51656
Levy-Abegnoli, J. (2016, June 29). LuxLeaks whistleblowers guilty verdicts 'a disgrace'. The Parliament. https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/news/article/luxleaks-whistleblowers-guilty-verdicts-a-disgrace
Lewis, D., & Uys, T. (2007). Protecting whistleblowers at work: A comparison of the impact of British and South African legislation. Managerial Law, 49(3), 76-92. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090550710816492
Martin, L. (2020, November 24). Whistleblower Maria Efimova fears for her safety amid threats and new arrest warrants. openDemocracy. https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/can-europe-make-it/whistleblower-maria-efimova-fears-her-safety-amid-threats-and-new-arrest-warrants/
Mesa, J. (2024, July 9). Boeing's Dead Whistleblowers: Who Were Joshua Dean and John Barnett? Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/boeing-dead-whistleblowers-joshua-dean-john-barnett-1922941
Mothepu, M. (2021). Uncaptured: The true account of the Nenegate/Trillian whistleblower. Penguin Books.
Mpati, L., Marcus, G., & Lediga, E. (2020, March 12). Report of the Judicial Commission of Enquiry into Allegations of Impropriety at the Public Investment Corporation. Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of Impropriety at the Public Investment Corporation.
Near, J.P., & Miceli, M.P. (1985). Organizational Dissidence: The Case of Whistleblowing. Journal of Business Ethics, 4, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00382668
Near, J.P., & Miceli, M.P. (1986). Retaliation Against Whistle Blowers: Predictors and Effects. Journal of Applied Psychology, 71(1), 137-145. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.71.1.137
Pegg, D., Makortoff, K., Chulov, M., Lewis, P., & Harding, L. (2022, February 20). Revealed: Credit Suisse leak unmasks criminals, fraudsters and corrupt politicians. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/news/2022/feb/20/credit-suisse-secrets-leak-unmasks-criminals-fraudsters-corrupt-politicians
Prior, L. (2003). Using Documents in Social Research. SAGE Publications Limited and SAGE Publications Incorporated.
Radulovic, U. (2023a). The Predicament of the Unprotected: Why Lacklustre Legislation Fails South African Whistleblowers. African Journal of Business Ethics, 17(1), 54-75. https://doi.org/10.15249/17-1-333
Radulovic, U. (2023b). The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance? Whistleblowing within the Context of State Capture in South Africa. The Thinker, 97(4), 101-115. https://doi.org/10.36615/the_thinker.v97i4.2863
Radulovic, U. (2023c). The role of whistleblowing as a mechanism to prevent state capture: A case from the Global South. NBP. Nauka, bezbednost, policija, 28(3), 62-74. https://doi.org/10.5937/nabepo28-47438
Radulovic, U. (2025). Who will Protect the Night’s Watch? Legislative Reform and a State Apparatus for the Comprehensive Shielding of South African Whistleblowers. NBP. Nauka, bezbednost, policija, 30(1), 37-50. https://doi.org/10.5937/nabepo30-54668
Sadie, A. (2019). Statement before the Judicial Commission of Enquiry into Allegations of Impropriety regarding the Public Investment Corporation (PIC). Pretoria.
Schweller, G. (2023, February 7). Switzerland Seeks to Prosecute Suisse Secrets Whistleblower. Whistleblower Network News. https://whistleblowersblog.org/global-whistleblowers/switzerland-seeks-to-prosecute-suisse-secrets-whistleblower/amp/
South Africa, Republic of. (1996, May 8). Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. Constitutional Court.
South Africa, Republic of. (2000, August 7). Act No. 26 of 2000: Protected Disclosures Act. Cape Town: Government Gazette 422(21453).
South Africa, Republic of. (2002, August 2). Act No. 25 of 2002: Electronic Communications and Transactions Act. Cape Town: Government Gazette 446(23708).
South Africa, Republic of. (2011, December 5). Act No. 17 of 2011: Protection from Harassment Act. Cape Town: Government Gazette 558(34818).
South Africa, Republic of. (2017, August 2). Act No. 5 of 2017: Protected Disclosures Amendment Act. Cape Town: Government Gazette 626(41016).
Stimpel, C. (2021). Hijackers on Board: How One Courageous Whistleblower Fought Against the Capture of SAA. Tafelberg.
Thakur, C. (2018a). Whistle-blower Protection: Does South Africa Match Up? Part I. Helen Suzman Foundation. https://hsf.org.za/publications/hsf-briefs/whistle-blower-protection-does-south-africa-match-up-part-i#sdendnote15anc
Thakur, C. (2018b). Whistle-blower Protection: Does South Africa Match Up? Part II. Helen Suzman Foundation. https://hsf.org.za/publications/hsf-briefs/whistle-blower-protection-does-south-africa-match-up-part-ii
Tombs, S., & Whyte, D. (2015). The Corporate Criminal: Why corporations must be abolished. Routledge.
Transparency International. (2018). A Best Practice Guide for Whistleblowing Legislation. Berlin.
Troianovski, A. (2020, October 23). Edward Snowden, in Russia Since 2013, Is Granted Permanent Residency. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/23/world/europe/russia-putin-snowden-resident.html
Uys, T. (2022). Whistleblowing and the Sociological Imagination. Palgrave Macmillan.
Uys, T., & Radulovic, U. (2025). Truth to Power: A Historical Overview of Whistleblowing in South Africa. South African Review of Sociology, 55(1), 95-112. https://doi.org/10.1080/21528586.2025.2493730
Whyte, D., & Wiegratz, J. (2016a). Neoliberalism, moral economy and fraud. In D. Whyte, & J. Wiegratz (Eds.), Neoliberalism and the Moral Economy of Fraud (pp. 1–16). Routledge.
Whyte, D., & Wiegratz, J. (2016b). The moral economy of neoliberal fraud. In D. Whyte, & J. Wiegratz (Eds.), Neoliberalism and the Moral Economy of Fraud (pp. 229–252). Routledge.
WikiLeaks. (N.D.). Baghdad War Diary. https://wikileaks.org/irq/
Wright, J. (2025). Improving Legislative Protection for Whistleblowers of Corruption in South African Municipalities. Southern African Public Law, 40(1), 1-35. https://doi.org/10.25159/2522-6800/17941
