Investigating lived experiences and mental health of whistleblowers: a perspective from South African employees who exposed corruption and wrongdoing in the workplace

Whistleblowing is a powerful tool to fight corruption and wrongdoing. However, individuals who expose such wrongdoing are quite likely to face a series of personal and professional difficulties. Our study investigated the experiences of employees in South Africa who have exposed corruption and wrongdoing in their work environments and how their mental health is affected as a result. The study is qualitative, interpretivist, and relies on in-depth, semi-structured interviews with whistleblowers from the public and private sectors. The paper is a take on a variety of aspects surrounding the participants decision to blow the whistle, their organizations' reactions, the retaliation they suffered, and the psychological and social implications of their disclosures. The findings demonstrate that whistleblowers, driven by their moral compass and a sense of duty to society, nevertheless, endure isolation, victimization, career disruption, financial hardship, and mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, and post, traumatic stress disorder. The aggravation of mental health issues is due to the absence of institutional support, the ineffectiveness of protective measures, and the constant fear of being subjected to further retaliation. The article also highlights the mechanisms that whistleblowers use to resolve their situations, for instance, the support from their families, their personal strength, and the involvement with non, governmental organisations, although their effectiveness varies depending on the case. The study calls for more robust legal protections, a greater sense of responsibility from organisations, and the provision of psychosocial support services for whistleblowers in South Africa.