Open Democracy Advice Centre odac
Legal in Cape Town

Your contribution supports our mission to promote open and transparent democracy.

ODAC’s mission is to promote open and transparent democracy; foster a culture of corporate and government accountability; and assist people in South Africa to be able to realise their human rights. By promoting transparency, enhancing access to information, supporting whistleblowers and liberating data, we are forwarding a culture of accountability and openness to meet the needs of citizens. ODAC are leading experts in relation to access to information and freedom of expression in South Africa, and on the continent. We have driven strategic litigation on the Promotion of Access to Information Act and Protected Disclosures Act, and remain at the forefront at parliamentary advocacy on laws relating to transparency and good governance. We extend our scope to providing support to ensure the effective implementation of key legislation, by assisting public and private institutions to develop policies, procedures and systems. We provide public information and training on using the legislation through public awareness campaigns, and workshops. We also performs various forms of monitoring and research through applied and comparative research, which forms the evidence-base for our other activities. Legal activities (including our contracted service provision) Schools provide an environment where these issues can be explored, tested and practised in a meaningful way. They are also a spring board into broader society and thus have the potential to multiply the impact of the lessons learned by young people taking them home with them and into their broader communities, youth groupsand sports clubs. A three-year project, includes organising and facilitating whistleblowing training workshops for trade unions; producing training material for union activists (flyers, manuals, T-shirts, statutes); organising an implementers’ forum for government officials on the Protected Disclosures Act to raise awareness and build capacity around the implementation of the Act. A three-year project, involves advocacy work with key stakeholders to strengthen the legislative framework to encourage more people to use the Act. It encourages people to raise concerns about improprieties in the workplace and will help ensure that organisations respond by. Through protecting whistleblowers from being subjected to an occupational detriment in the following circumstances, the Act promotes the public interest. Allows disclosures of impropriety to person other than employer.