Giant whistle for Whistleblowing Week

2011-10-14 15:30

Cape Town - A three-metre high whistle will be erected in Church Square in Cape Town to mark the launch National Whistleblowing Week on October 17.

The initiative is aimed at encouraging South Africans to blow the whistle on corruption and equip potential whistleblowers with access to information on the Protected Disclosures Act - the legislation that supports and protects whistleblowers.

Members of the public will be able to add their voice to the campaign by taking a whistle from the public art installation, which was designed by street artist Mak1One.

Whistleblowing Week will be concluded with a roundtable discussion at Wits University in Johannesburg on October 20. This will focus on the proposed secrecy bill and its impact on whistleblowing, and the panel will include Public Protector Thuli Madonsela, former high profile whistleblower Mike Tshishonga and Open Democracy Advice Centre (ODAC) executive director Alison Tilley.

"Corruption and fraud costs South Africans in excess of R100bn each year. It is eating at the very fabric of our society,” said Tilley.

"Fighting corruption starts with individuals. Small acts of courage can have a massive impact. The very core of what we stand for as a nation is in danger, it is up to the person on the street to stand up and say no to wrongdoing in all sectors of business and government."

Campaign ambassadors include media personalities Max Du Preez, Iman Rappetti, Xolani Gwala and John Perlman.