A major civil society group has expressed shock and condemnation following reports that a state agency responsible for administering government employee pensions has hired a forensic firm to identify and target whistleblowers who exposed corruption within its ranks.
Public Interest SA has labeled the alleged actions of the Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA) as “abominable” and “egregious,” raising serious ethical questions and highlighting a critical gap in South Africa’s legal protection for those who report malfeasance.
The controversy surrounds the GPAA, the institution tasked with managing funds for the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), which serves 1.7 million active employees and pensioners. The agency is already under scrutiny after its CEO, Kedibone Madiehe, was placed on precautionary suspension with full pay last month by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana. The suspension followed allegations of serious misconduct related to high-value procurement transactions.
According to recent media reports, instead of focusing on the serious procurement allegations, the GPAA has allegedly contracted a forensic company to uncover the identities of individuals who leaked information about corruption internally.
The Chairperson of Public Interest SA, Tebogo Khaas, stated that the use of public funds to hunt whistleblowers is particularly alarming. “You’re talking about public money and specifically even public money that is supposed to be managed on behalf of pensioners,” Khaas said. He questioned the ethics of spending scarce funds on this pursuit while the agency struggles with its core mandate, such as enrolling and paying pensions for military veterans.
The case has ignited a broader debate about the safety of whistleblowers in South Africa. Khaas drew parallels to previous high-profile cases, noting that individuals who exposed state capture corruption often faced severe retaliation, including being forced into exile.
A significant concern raised is the apparent lack of strong legal recourse against such retaliation. Khaas explained that current legislation, including the Protected Disclosures Act, does not explicitly criminalize the act of retaliating against a whistleblower. This legal “lacuna,” he argued, allows entities to target those who expose corruption with impunity and necessitates urgent legislative amendment.
“There’s nothing legally that is codified that criminalizes retaliation… something needs to be done very quickly legislatively,” Khaas stated.
He further suggested that the GPAA’s board of directors must be held accountable for approving the investigation, potentially declaring them delinquent directors for failing in their governance duties. Khaas called for immediate intervention from the Finance Minister to halt the investigation.
The news station extended an invitation to the GPAA to provide its perspective on the allegations, but the agency had not responded by the time of the broadcast. The invitation for comment remains open.