CIVICUS discusses the dangers facing civil society activists and whistleblowers in South Africa with Corlett Letlojane. Corlette is a lawyer, human rights defender and Executive Director of the Human Rights Institute of South Africa (HURISA), a civil society organisation that promotes human rights.

Pamela Mabini, a South African activist, was recently killed outside her home in KwaZakhele. She was a whistleblower and gender rights advocate who supported victims of abuse, playing a key role in the 2017 arrest of a televangelist accused of human trafficking. Pamela’s killing highlights the urgent need for justice, accountability and stronger protections for activists and whistleblowers.

What’s the situation of South African human rights defenders?

Human right defenders are operating in an increasingly dangerous context. We’re seeing more persecution, harassment and extrajudicial killings targeting whistleblowers and activists, particularly those fighting for civil and political rights. It’s alarming. These attacks echo apartheid-era repression, although we are supposed to be living in a democracy.

There are both state and non-state actors involved. In some cases, we suspect that state actors are using criminal groups to silence activists, particularly whistleblowers with access to sensitive information about wrongdoing in state institutions.

We have reported these cases to international bodies such as the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and have submitted reports to South Africa’s Universal Periodic Review at the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council to try to hold the government accountable. While we haven’t faced direct retaliation at the international level, those documenting abuses domestically have been seriously threatened and experienced break-ins, theft of critical research material and now killings.

What categories of activists or whistleblowers are being targeted?

We have recently compiled a list of activists and whistleblowers who have been killed or disappeared under suspicious circumstances and submitted it to the South African government, the South African Human Rights Commission and the Commission for Gender Equality.

Our report shows that particular groups are clearly being targeted. Environmental activists face serious threats, particularly those defending land rights and calling for public consultation on extractive projects.

Journalists are also being targeted, particularly those working with investigative outlets. Some have faced legal harassment, such as private prosecutions or gag orders, simply for reporting on corruption linked to previous administrations.

LGBTQI+ activists are particularly vulnerable to violence. The most recent victim was Imam Marchen Hendricks, a gay Islamic scholar and human rights activist who was shot and killed on 15 February on his way to officiate a marriage.

People should be able to engage in legitimate human rights work without fear. The government must take immediate action to protect activists, because their silence and inaction is costing lives, Pamela Mabini’s killing being the most recent example. However, instead of investigating violence and intimidation before they escalate, the government often downplays and delays its response.

Who was Pamela Mabini and why was she targeted?

Pamela was a respected community activist and whistleblower. She was brutally killed on 7 March outside her home in KwaZakhele, Eastern Cape – a region struggling with high rates of gender-based violence, rape and sexual violence. Her murder has shaken all of us.

Pamela volunteered tirelessly to protect women and children against violence. She was involved in advocacy and public monitoring, particularly around the high-profile rape trial of Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso, in prison since 2018. This case drew national attention and profoundly impacted on the faith community. Many of his followers defended him and called for his release. And they’ve been heard, as a court recently found him not guilty. Pamela actively called for his prosecution. She appears to have been targeted because of this.

Whistleblowers such as Pamela play a crucial role in South Africa, but the government doesn’t seem to be taking their protection seriously.

What legal protections exist for activists, and what must be done to strengthen them?

Although South Africa has ratified international frameworks such as the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, there’s very little real protection.

One crucial step would be the adoption of a national protection law. This has been proposed for years, and finally things appear to be moving forward. In his State of the Nation Address on 6 February, the president committed to finalising the Whistleblower Protection Framework and introducing the Whistleblower Protection Bill in parliament this year.

We’re watching this closely. The new law must offer strong and comprehensive safeguards, and not just for people who speak out but also for those who serve as witnesses. Their safety, security and freedom of expression must be protected, particularly when they hold sensitive or confidential information or expose corruption and human rights violations.

We also need to educate government officials and parliamentarians about civil society’s vital role. We are not enemies of the state or foreign agents, and we aren’t trying to undermine the government’s authority; we’re trying to help South Africa live up to its constitutional and international human rights commitments. As a state party to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, South Africa should fully implement Resolution 273, which requires states to prevent reprisals, intimidation and extrajudicial killings of defenders.

We also call for the creation of a dedicated monitoring unit within the South African Human Rights Commission. The growing number of killings and threats shows how urgently the government needs to act. Just as South Africa uses international legal mechanisms to support human rights abroad, as in the case of Palestine, it must also apply those same principles at home.