Members of the South African Council of Churches (SACC) have called on South Africans to “take ownership of the fight against corruption.”

In the statement to mark the first anniversary of the Zondo Commission Report, the SACC members who include representatives of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) urge “all relevant government institutions to demonstrate more urgency in implementing the recommendations made by the six-part report, with the intention of taking the necessary urgent action that may be required in order to hasten the resolution of the issue of corruption and state capture.”

“We call on the public of South Africa to take ownership of the fight against corruption and use the Zondo Commission report as an important step in that fight, and not to let go of the necessary pressure to hold government accountable for the execution of the recommendations,” they add.

In the June 22 statement, SACC members decry the delay in “prosecuting corrupt individuals” implicated in the Zondo Commission Report.

“The SACC is particularly concerned that there have been no serious convictions against any senior personnel fingered in the report. Progress in prosecuting corrupt individuals has been disappointingly slow. According to the recent Hawks report, only two cases have been concluded, resulting in suspended sentences for non-high-ranking officials,” they say.

In the statement signed by the general secretary Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana, the SACC members call on the “prosecuting authority and investigating institutions must act swiftly, and transparently, and ensure robust cases against the culprits.”

SACC members further highlight “comprehensive protection of whistleblowers” saying it “should include protecting them, their identities, and their families; protecting them from physical harm, intimidation, and death.”

They add, “This should not await their being declared trial witnesses, for, people are killed way before any indictment is prepared. Whistleblowers are vulnerable as they often lose livelihoods and should be protected from unfair victimisation in their work environment. We call for the establishment of a special whistleblower support fund, to ensure that whistleblowers do not lose their livelihoods and personal dignity.”

In their concluding remarks, the SACC members call on South Africans to join forces in the fight against corruption and to support and protect whistleblowers whom they say “play a crucial role in exposing corruption, often risking their lives.”

“The fight against corruption is ongoing, and as the church, we are confident in the collective power of South Africans to overcome this darkness,” they say.

The SACC members also call on South Africans to participate in a public webinar scheduled for July 5, which seeks to highlight corruption and the protection of whistleblowers.

“The SACC will highlight these issues through a public webinar in partnership with Whistleblower House, scheduled for July 5, 2023, on Zoom and streamed on the SACC Facebook page @OfficialSACC. We must protect and support whistleblowers in the fight against corruption,” said the SACC members in the June 22 statement signed by the general secretary Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana.