SAMWU Demands Whistleblower Protection Amid Rising Murders of Municipal Officials

Johannesburg, The South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) has urged government to urgently implement policies that will safeguard municipal workers who expose corruption, warning that the lack of protection is putting lives at risk and undermining service delivery.

The call comes in the wake of a disturbing report revealing that at least 148 municipal officials have been murdered across the country since 2018, many of them reportedly targeted for speaking out against corruption.

SAMWU General Secretary Dumisane Magagula said the rising number of killings poses a grave threat to transparency and accountability in local government. He emphasised the urgent need for a national policy that ensures the safety of whistleblowers and enforces accountability through collaboration with law enforcement and the municipal bargaining council.

“We believe that a national policy linked to law enforcement and the bargaining council should be in place to support whistleblowers,” said Magagula. “We are calling for the establishment of secure channels for reporting corruption. While we have worked with Corruption Watch, there are currently no formal mechanisms within municipalities to report suspected corruption safely.”

The union warned that without decisive action, the deadly trend will continue to paralyse local governance and silence those fighting for integrity in public service.