MEDIA STATEMENT
Johannesburg, South Africa – Tuesday, 11 February 2025 – Public Interest SA strongly condemns the abrupt and unlawful removal of US Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger by President Donald Trump. This alarming move signals a grave and imminent threat to whistleblowers in the United States and globally, as it dismantles vital protections against corruption, fraud, and abuse.
Dellinger’s dismissal, executed without justification under the legal standard for termination, represents a blatant attempt to weaken institutional safeguards meant to protect whistleblowers and uphold transparency in government. The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) plays a crucial role in safeguarding federal employees from retaliation and ensuring that corruption within federal agencies is exposed and addressed. By targeting this independent oversight body, the Trump administration is not only compromising the integrity of federal institutions but also placing countless whistleblowers in immediate danger.
“This action is a harbinger of a torrid period for truth-telling in the US for at least the next four years,” said Tebogo Khaas, Public Interest SA chairman. “By removing the head of an office dedicated to protecting whistleblowers, President Trump has sent a chilling message that his administration will not tolerate accountability or oversight. This dangerous precedent will not only silence whistleblowers in the US but will embolden corrupt practices worldwide.”
Public Interest SA echoes the concerns raised by whistleblower attorney Stephen M. Kohn of the National Whistleblower Centre, who warned that dismantling the OSC jeopardises critical whistleblower protections and exposes federal employees who have courageously reported waste, fraud, and abuse. The move risks undermining public trust in institutions and weakens one of the most effective mechanisms for ensuring government accountability.
The removal of Dellinger is not an isolated incident but part of a broader strategy to erode democratic guardrails and dismantle institutional checks on executive power. The consequences of such actions will extend far beyond the United States, emboldening authoritarian regimes and corrupt officials who seek to silence whistleblowers and stifle dissent.
This also risks signalling to US-listed multinational companies operating in South Africa that they may evade accountability for wrongdoing. Some of these corporations, including Hitachi, SAP, Bain & Company, McKinsey, and Deloitte, have been implicated and fined for corruption during the state-capture era. If whistleblower protections are weakened in the United States, these companies may feel emboldened to continue illicit practices with impunity, undermining South Africa’s ongoing efforts to combat corruption and enforce corporate accountability.
Public Interest SA calls upon the international community, civil society organisations, and defenders of democracy to denounce this attack on whistleblower protections. We further urge the US Congress and judicial authorities to take immediate steps to reverse this unlawful action and uphold the rule of law.
Whistleblowers play a fundamental role in protecting democratic institutions and exposing wrongdoing. Any attempt to undermine their rights is an assault on justice, transparency, and good governance worldwide. Public Interest SA stands in solidarity with whistleblowers and calls for the urgent restoration of robust protections to ensure that those who speak truth to power are safeguarded against retaliation.
ENDS
For media inquiries, please contact:
Bagaetsho Oteng
Media & Communications
bagaetsho@publicinterest.org.za | +2784 566 5400
