In an open letter to the people of God in South Africa, the members of the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) say they stand in solidarity with whistleblowers.

“We, bishops of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference, gathered in plenary from 14-18 August 2023, felt compelled to send a message of gratitude and support to you, honest South Africans, also known as whistleblowers,” say the Bishops in the August 29 letter signed by the SACBC president Bishop Sithembele Sipuka of Mthatha Diocese.

In the letter, the Catholic Bishops applaud whistleblowers for “the gift of courage and self-sacrifice” and assure the courageous men and women of their continued solidarity and prayers.

“We assure you of our continued solidarity and prayers… We applaud you for the gift of courage and self-sacrifice as whistleblowers. Your example of sacrificing self-interests and comfort for the sake of the common good is something our country currently needs in abundance,” they say.

The SACBC Bishops also call on the Justice Department “to find a way to protect whistleblowers in the interim while the laws are being reviewed.”

“Our hope and prayer are that the proposed legal reforms on whistleblowers recently released by the Department of Justice will soon translate into effective action for improved safety and protection of whistleblowers,” say the SACBC Bishops in the August 29 solidarity letter.