Pretoria: The opportunity for public comments on the Protected Disclosures Bill has officially closed, as confirmed by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. The window for these submissions ended last week, marking a significant step towards advancing the Bill.
According to South African Government News Agency, Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has stressed the urgency of processing the Bill promptly. She highlighted the potential risks faced by whistleblowers, stating, "Failure to expeditiously conclude this framework for the protection of whistleblowers will have grave consequences for the individuals who put their lives in danger to expose wrongdoing and corruption."
Minister Kubayi further noted that extending the comment period would not benefit either whistleblowers or the justice system. However, she reassured that there would still be opportunities for organizations and individuals to provide input on the Bill when Parliament opens the floor for public participation.
The department reported that the deadline for submissions passed on Thursday of last week, despite calls from some organizations for an extension to submit their feedback. Nonetheless, the department has received a substantial number of comments from various entities, which will be used to refine the draft bill before it is submitted to Parliament.
In light of the current gaps in the legal framework for whistleblower protection, the Minister emphasized the necessity of swiftly concluding the framework to safeguard those who risk their safety by exposing criminal activities.