LIFESTYLE - WHEN Cynthia Stimpel took a decision to blow the whistle on corruption at South African Airways (SAA) in 2016, it was not a decision she took lightly.
The then SAA group treasurer warned National Treasury about a potential dirty deal between BNP Capital and SAA.
In an interview with the POST, Simpel said: “At work I had spoken to my peer colleagues. We all knew what was going on. I suggested that together we try to stop it, but everyone said no, they needed their jobs. Then I realised it was only me.
“I spoke to my family – my daughters, my husband and then my siblings – to tell them what was transpiring and to explain that if I were to speak up, the resultant action would be that I would leave my job, which I did. And the next question was, why don't you just resign and walk away?
“I could have done that, but I was in a senior position and I felt that I could try and stop it before the money flowed out of the organisation. I was in such a position that I had to try to stop it rather than walk away and based on that I spoke out,” she said.
Time of the Writer
State capture, corruption, a failed insurrection, and a more critical look at the state of the nation will come under the spotlight when the Time of the Writer festival brings together several novelists who have written about the subject, in their programme titled 'Dinner Conversations'.
According to a statement by the festival, Radio journalist Michelle Constant will talk to Jonathan Ancer and Chris Whitfield about their book Joining the Dots: An unauthorised biography of Pravin Gordhan. Constant will also chat to Athol Williams (Deep Collusion), Themba Maseko (For my country), Mosilo Mothepu (Uncaptured) and Stimpel (Hijackers on Board).
No regrets
It is now seven years since Simpel effectively changed the course of history in the country. Asked if she felt celebrated as a hero, or vilified for her actions, she said she had no regrets.
“I don't have any regrets, more so because I took a moral and ethical stand. If I had to one day answer to my children or to my husband or even my grandchildren, they must know that I stood up for an ethical and moral view.”
Simpel said the path trodden by whistleblowers is not an easy one.
“What normally happens is there is a phase of once you have blown the whistle, you go through extreme retaliation and victimisation within the organisation. So, for example, I was suspended from day one. My organisation then sent out an email to all the staff stating that I had committed misconduct. Immediately, not a single staff member speaks to you, even though you were friends at work. So they isolate you completely.
“Then you can't find a job, largely because of the stigma attached to whistleblowing, so you suffer from a financial perspective; and, with all of this, it starts to impact and you start suffering and it affects you mentally.
“What transpires much later is that people recognise your courage, they start saying you are a hero and they will say well done. But very few will come to your aid and say how can we help you? What do you need to be able to be okay and get back on your feet? Very few companies do that. It is really hard for the majority of whistleblowers,” said Simpel.
Protection
Recalling her own fears after she exposed dealings at SAA, Simpel recalled unknown vehicles following her home and watching her movements.
“Government will not take that responsibility of security for the whistleblower. We have seen it. They do it maybe for government officials, but not for ordinary citizens. At the time I couldn't even afford private security. I was just being very vigilant and observant wherever I drove.”
The solution, she suggested, lay in collaboration.
“For me it's a game about working and collaborating. Perhaps security companies who could come on board and officer services pro bono; in turn, ordinary citizens can rather support these types of organisations because they are also helping whistleblowers. For example, teach whistleblowers skills for safety like how to use your phone and your social media safely, how to be alert when you are driving, offer security upgrades at reduced rates under special circumstances.
“And I think this is something that we are struggling with in South Africa at the moment. It is the reason Themba Maseko’s (state capture whistleblower) home was broken into and Johann van Loggerenberg’s (Sars whistleblower) home was burgled, and that's also why Babita Deokaran (Health Department whistleblower) was killed. She was watched for four weeks before they killed her. So they knew her routine and they then struck when they knew there would be the least number of people around her,” said Simpel.
Be the change
She said whistleblowing is often seen as a negative, but it took strength and courage to stand up for the truth.
“My appeal to anybody who's listening is that we need to want to become the change. We individually need to be the change you want to see in the world. We need to be that pebble that is thrown into the lake that causes the ripple effect by acting ethically, by acting morally, standing up when we see wrong and speaking out. If we start doing that then we can change our society in South Africa. It is up to us to be the change.”
Simpel said there are many ways that ordinary citizens can help.
“Start donating to societies or NGOs who are helping whistleblowers. There are few that help whistleblowers who don't often have funds and there's a need, for legal costs, financial costs, psychological assistance, etc.
“There's also ways that companies can say they are willing to hire whistleblowers and use the skills that they have. Doctors and the legal fraternity can form panels where they could do pro bono work for whistleblowers, for example giving legal advice and guidance pro bono for whistleblowers.
“From a government perspective, the government needs to start ensuring that the law takes its course and that people who are charged, are not allowed to continue with impunity with no consequence for bad behaviour. There should be immediate action taken and these cases should be raised quite expeditiously to get to court,” said Simpel.
Awareness
Simpel said platforms such as the media and the Time of the Writer event were important catalysts for keeping awareness in the public eye.
“I'm very grateful for these platforms that actually help me to raise my voice in the media space. After my case, everything was quiet. No one speaks to you. You struggle on your own. Once I gave evidence at the Zondo Commission the public was aware and I started getting calls for media interviews, I have spoken at a few webinars and on University platforms.
“I think it is very important that you continue this kind of dialogue, and combine it with ethics, governance and moral attitude. We have a moral degradation that has happened and we see the weight of corruption in both the public and private sectors,” said Simpel.
The Time of the Writer is hosted by the University of KZN’s Centre for Creative Arts (CCA). This year, a line-up of over 100 writers has been secured for the festival which will be presented online from March 14 to March 21 under the theme Beyond Words: Memory, Imagination and Conscience.
*The Time of the Writer festival will be live-streamed and can be viewed on the festival’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
POST