Roll Call of the Righteous, plus 5 highlights from 'Vrye Weekblad'

SA has been deeply wounded by corruption, looting and a culture of impunity. The lines between right and wrong became blurry and our moral fibre is hanging by a thread. 

That we at least have a thread left, is thanks to the brave, honest people of SA who stood up for the truth, and sometimes even paid with their lives. 

Vrye Weekblad has compiled a Roll Call of the Righteous who saved us from the abyss. They deserve our honour and our thanks. 

Some of them were whistle-blowers. Some were honest civil servants who wanted to do their job and had to be neutralised because they were standing in the way of the looters, or the state capturers who wanted to work in the shadows, or of their colleagues who wanted to save their own skin. And there were those who had to wrestle with their own complicity before they could finally stand up for the truth.  

Read more about these heroes, and more news and analysis in this week's edition of Afrikaans digital weekly Vrye Weekblad.

They were doctors, government officials, lawyers and investigators, councillors and politicians. 

Lives were ruined, families torn apart, honest careers in service of the public came to an end. There were suicides and depression. Failed marriages. Lost children. 

And there are some who are still in hiding or living in fear of their lives. 

Every one of them had their own journey, but many had the same cross to bear. Every single one of these heroes on our list paid a very high price – for our benefit. 

These are their stories:

Must-read articles in this week's Vrye Weekblad

>> Browse the full October 16 edition

FREE TO READ – 200 DAYS AND NIGHTS  | We have been in some sort of lockdown since the announcement of the state of disaster on March 15, more than 200 days ago. What has changed since then?

FREE TO READ – TO THE POINT OF TEARS | It is a shadow that never rests, a steep hill you have to climb, a lesson in humility and compassion. Four writers describe what it means to try to enjoy life, despite everything. 

TRUMP'S NEW TRICKS | The only trick the US president hasn't tried yet, is riding a horse topless like his friend Vladimir Putin did. A new fever seems to have afflicted the strongman of American politics as the biggest political drama of all times plays out. 

PLANNING THE WRONG WAY AROUND | The budget hasn't added up for a long time, and it would help if Treasury wasn't standing at the back of the queue and didn't have to do everything at the last minute.

CHEERS TO #DOPBEDONNERD! | Wine, a loaded carrot cake and a red hot rum are the stars of this week's edition of our boozy column.