Two South African whistle-blowers have received international recognition at the 2025 Blueprint for Free Speech Awards, announced during a virtual ceremony hosted by the BBCs Razia Iqbal on Wednesday.
The honours were awarded to Tumiso Mphuthi, who exposed large-scale procurement irregularities at the Construction Sector Education and Training Authority Ceta, and the late Pamela Mabini, a community activist who alerted authorities to alleged sex trafficking linked to televangelist Timothy Omotoso.
Mabini, a respected activist against gender-based violence, was shot dead outside her Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, home in March 2025. Her award was accepted by a relative, Luzuko Gaxamba, who said the recognition was more than symbolic.
