ARTICLE · 29 MAY 2026

A New Era For Whistleblowers: Assessing The Changes

SNG Grant Thornton

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South Africa's Draft Protected Disclosures Bill, 2026 proposes to replace the current whistleblower protection framework with a more comprehensive regime that extends protection beyond employees, mandates formal internal procedures, and introduces stricter confidentiality controls and retaliation consequences.

South AfricaEmployment and HR

Assessing the changes

What will change under South Africa’s Protected Disclosures Bill, 2026?

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development in South Africa gazetted the Draft Protected Disclosures Bill, 2026 for public comment with submissions closed on 14 May 2026. It is not yet been enacted as law, but it is significant because it proposes to repeal and replace the current Protected Disclosures Act 26 of 2000, as amended in 2017, with a more detailed whistleblowing framework for both the public and private sectors. Legal commentary on the draft has also highlighted that the Bill reflects concerns raised by the Zondo Commission about gaps in South Africa’s current whistleblower protection framework.

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