Following two successful whistleblowing workshops in Johannesburg and Cape Town last year, Democracy Works Foundation (DWF) concludes its national whistleblowing workshop series in Durban on 29 January 2026.
The Durban workshop takes place against a sobering national context. South Africa has one of the highest rates of violence against whistleblowers globally, with individuals who expose corruption, fraud, and misuse of public or organisational resources frequently facing intimidation, job loss, physical harm, and in extreme cases, assassination. Too often, those who act in the public interest are isolated and punished, rather than protected and supported.
Held in light of the proposed South African Whistleblowing Code of Practice and amid ongoing public revelations of corruption across both public and private sectors, these workshops focus on practical, workplace-based approaches to identifying, managing, and supporting whistleblowing safely and effectively. Participants--including HR and Training Managers, Compliance Officers, and Labour Lawyers--are guided on building trusted reporting systems, responding effectively to disclosures, and fostering organisational cultures rooted in ethical leadership and accountability.
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Research consistently shows that organisations with clear whistleblowing policies, training, and leadership buy-in are significantly more likely to detect wrongdoing early and resolve issues internally. Studies indicate that tips from whistleblowers account for over 40% of fraud detection globally, while workplaces that actively train staff on whistleblowing see higher reporting confidence and reduced retaliation.
This workshop is implemented under the Protecting and Promoting Whistleblowers project, co-funded by the European Union and implemented by DWF in partnership with The Whistleblower House.
At its core, the workshop calls on organisations and individuals to Choose Courage. Courage matters because exposing corruption is rarely easy or safe--but silence allows harm to continue. Whistleblowers should not pay with their lives or livelihoods for doing the right thing. They deserve protection, solidarity, and systems that honour bravery rather than punish it.
