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MEDIA STATEMENT
Johannesburg, Monday, September 9, 2024 - Public Interest SA Condemns Whistleblower Assassination Linked to Transnet Corruption Exposé
Public Interest SA expresses deep concern over the murder of 30-year-old Armand Swart, an employee at a Vereeniging engineering company, who was tragically killed on April 17, 2024. According to a story in today's News24, his murder, which resulted from a case of mistaken identity, came just two weeks after his employer blew the whistle on staggering price inflation in a Transnet contract, where the cost of a simple railway component was inflated by over 4 500%. This price gouging saw an innocuous spring, typically sold for R3.20, being charged to Transnet at R152 each—resulting in a contract worth more than R1.2 million for items that should have cost only R25 000.
Swart was gunned down in a hit-style shooting meant for a colleague involved in reporting this corruption. A R1 million bounty had allegedly been placed on the life of the engineering company's manager, marking one of the most chilling cases of retaliation against whistleblowing in South Africa.
"This case represents a profound failure of trust in the systems that are meant to protect those who courageously expose corruption," says Tebogo Khaas, chairperson of Public Interest SA. "The inability to safeguard the identities of whistleblowers not only endangers lives but also erodes the fundamental mechanisms of transparency and accountability needed to combat corruption."
The revelation that seasoned police detective Michael Pule Tau, with 30 years of service, is allegedly at the center of this notorious hit squad adds a deeply troubling dimension to the case. Tau, alongside two other accused, faces charges of murder, conspiracy, and illegal arms possession. If the allegations are confirmed, this case highlights a disturbing intersection between law enforcement and organised crime, which undermines the justice system itself.
Public Interest SA is particularly alarmed by the broader implications of this case. A breakdown in whistleblower protection deters others from coming forward, stifling efforts to root out systemic corruption. The failure to provide adequate protection for detectives assigned to this case—who have received death threats—only underscores the systemic neglect of those tasked with protecting the public interest.
"We call on Transnet and relevant authorities to urgently investigate and address this serious breach. Whistleblowers are indispensable in safeguarding ethical governance, and any failure to protect them puts the entire anti-corruption framework at risk. Transnet must restore confidence in its whistleblowing mechanisms by ensuring the utmost confidentiality, as required by their Code of Ethics Commitment Statement," Khaas continues.
Public Interest SA remains committed to advocating for stronger protections for whistleblowers and the upholding of justice, transparency, and ethical governance.
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