On Tuesday justice minister Ronald Lamola presented to parliament proposals to create a special fund for whistle-blowers facing financial ruin because of their decisions to expose corruption and wrongdoing.

Lamola said that research had shown the need to amend the Protected Disclosures Act and Witness Protection Act which govern whistle-blowing. The proposals, if adopted and passed into law, will mark a profound shift in the fight against corruption.

Whistle-blowers, much like journalists, need protection and courage to help them expose injustices. The public rely on the media and those who witness wrongdoing to expose it and speak up. Unfortunately, far too many whistle-blowers in this country have paid a heavy price for taking a stand against corruption and maladministration. Those who are still alive are in financial distress.

The name of Babita Deokaran, who was acting chief financial officer at the Gauteng department of health and exposed corruption in the procurement of personal protective equipment, has become synonymous with the dangers of whistle-blowing. But long before Deokaran, there were many others including Moss Phakoe, an ANC councillor in Rustenburg, who was assassinated for attempting to expose corruption in the municipality.

Such has been the perilous state of the act of whistle-blowing that if we were to list all the names of those who have been killed it would take up a few pages in this newspaper.

Without whistle-blowers there can be no exposés in the media, no accountability, and no justice. The allegations of state capture, which led to the inquiry, for example, came to be known because of the bravery of many whistle-blowers in the public sector.

This underscores the importance of those who dare to speak up against wrongdoing and why the proposals made by Lamola in parliament should be welcomed as the beginning of a process long overdue.

According to a recent Corruption Watch online perception survey on whistle-blowing, most respondents believed whistle-blowing is important in addressing wrongdoing and curbing corruption and crime. They also said more needs to be done to improve the environment so that it is safe and conducive for whistle-blowing to build a corruption-free society.

We can no longer delay protecting and supporting whistle-blowers who are essential in ensuring transparency and that those in power are held to account.