Moses Phakoe, Bianca Goodson, Mosilo Mothepu, Imraahn Ismail-Mukaddam, Thabiso Zulu, Jimmy Mohlala, Michelle Mitchley, Simphiwe Mayisela, ‘James Nogu’, Brain Currin, and Doctor Radebe.
If you are not a news junkie like I am, you are probably asking yourself who are these people right?
Well, these are the people who have made you and I still proud to call South Africa a country. A nation full of hope and prosperity.
The above-mentioned names are courageous and patriotic South Africans who put their own interests and dreams aside for the good of the whole nation. These are South Africans whom we all should celebrate, honour and acknowledge their role in saving our economy, saving our jobs, saving the taxpayers money and most importantly saving the country we all love.
In the Whistleblowers, respected author, Mandy Wiener rightly shines the spotlight on the country’s heroes and heroines for their country-duty in exposing corruption and wrongdoing in both the public and private sectors.
Mandy successfully celebrates these extraordinaire South Africans by allowing them to tell their painful, but yet courageous stories. She does this through personal interviews with them and their families.
The Whistleblowers gives the readers a full understanding and experiences of what these whistleblowers are currently going through from an emotional, financial, psychological, mental, physical front.
Now, I need to admit that I found myself questioning my patriotism after reading the stories of these courageous South Africans and I ended up asking myself a very pertinent question.
If I am confronted with a situation that demands that I speak out for the greater good of this country, would I, like these exceptional South Africans, speak out publicly and risk my life as I know it?
Perusing through the pages of this book, I have found myself not only appreciating what Mandy has done in this book, but I developed massive respect for fellow South Africans, who not only put their own lives at risk but that of their families by speaking out against corruption and wrongdoing committed by the powerful elite in our society.
We call these people whistleblowers, but I personally call them courageous South Africans who we deserve the national orders for their exceptional contribution to this country.
This is public service writing at its best and Mandy has done an extremely commendable job in acknowledging the heroes amongst us.
There are a few lessons to different people that this book provides.
Firstly and most importantly; to the lawmakers and the government.
Create laws (or rework on the Public Disclosures Act) and form an organisation that will provide legal, emotional, physical, psychological, and financial support to whistleblowers.
To society at large, let’s stop insulting and calling whistleblowers ugly names, rather let’s celebrate their heroic acts so that this will encourage others to be like them in our bid to root out corruption and wrongdoing in our society.
There are obviously ‘accidentally whistleblowers’ like Angelo Agrizzi and Suzzane Daniels, who many readers will question their inclusion in the book.
However, our fight to end the ostracising and doubting of whistleblowers starts with us acknowledging and respecting everyone included in this book.
The Whistleblowers is a national commodity and it will forever help us to remember the heroes and heroines amongst us.