Cape Town’s own, academic, author and poet, Athol Williams, has received the Mayor's Medal for Extraordinary Bravery.
Williams was honoured for his whistleblowing about US-based consultancy Bain&Co that formed a central plank of the Zondo Commission’s investigations, which found Bain’s involvement with Sars was unlawful.
Bain has been banned from competing for government contracts in both the UK and South Africa, and Williams was involved in both campaigns.
Bain&Co has maintained it repaid all fees to Sars plus interest.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis on Thursday awarded several people or associations who served a community with a high degree of dedication and sacrifice.
Among them was Williams, who was awarded in the category of Extraordinary Bravery.
“Our city’s history is marked by the contributions of some truly remarkable people – men and women who have dedicated their lives in selfless service to others. We are proud of your achievements, and we are very proud to call you our fellow Capetonians,” Hill-Lewis said.
Williams said the award had been a “rare ray of light in an otherwise dark experience”.
“The recognition is particularly meaningful coming from my home city. This is the first official recognition by any government authority of any of the state capture whistleblowers, which shows the City’s strong ethical stance against corruption.
“I am deeply grateful to the many Capetonians who nominated me for this award and for messages of support.
I need support in keeping my message alive,” he said.
Williams left South Africa in November 2021 for his safety and is currently a lecturer at Oxford University in the UK.
His advice to those contemplating to blow the whistle: “It is very dangerous to blow the whistle in SA, even though we desperately need people to do so. My best advice is to contact The Whistleblower House for guidance before taking any action and get legal advice.
“I got no advice when I blew the whistle, because no institutional help existed and I got badly burned. I’ve received no support or protection from anyone in government. I’ve personally written to the Presidency nine times and got no response.”
Cape Times