Pamela Mabini
Pamela Mabini | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 21 March 1979[1] |
| Died | 7 March 2025 (aged 46) Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| Cause of death | Gunshot wounds |
| Occupations | Human rights activist Whistleblower |
| Organization | Maro Foundation |
| Known for | Sharing information that led to the arrest of Tim Omotoso |
Pamela Phumla Mabini (21 March 1978 –7 March 2025) was a South African human rights activist and whistleblower. A prominent advocate for women's rights in her hometown of Gqeberha, Mabini became more widely known for raising concerns about Nigerian televangelist Tim Omotoso, which led to him being charged with multiple offences including human trafficking and sexual assault. In 2025, during the culmination of Omotoso's trial, Mabini was shot dead outside her home by unknown assailants.
Activism
Community activism
Mabini was the founder and director of the Maro Foundation, a nonprofit organisation that worked to reduce violent crimes in Gqeberha.[2][3] Mabini was a known advocate for female victims of crimes, including appearing in court with them. She also provided items to disadvantaged communities in Nelson Mandela Bay, including food, clothing, school uniform, and sanitary towels.[4] Mabini received press attention after she publicly called on the then-Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, to walk around the townships of Nelson Mandela Bay without his bodyguards in response to rising violent crimes and robberies in the area.[5] In 2023, she was named a Local Hero by the Daily Dispatch, a newspaper based in Eastern Cape.[4]
Whistleblowing
Between 2015 and 2017, the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CPL) actively investigated allegations of malpractice among places of worship in South Africa. Mabini approached the CPL with information gathered from her victim advocacy role about sexual abuse and human trafficking occurring at a church owned by Tim Omotoso, a Nigerian televangelist based in South Africa. The information provided by Mabini led to Omotoso's arrest in 2017; he was subsequently charged with 63 offences, including racketeering, human trafficking, rape and sexual assault. His trial started in 2018, and Mabini was a frequent attendee, and also provided support to the witnesses testifying against him.[5][6][7][8][9][10]
Death and response
Mabini began receiving regular death threats, including one attempt on her life in which she was physically assaulted, following the start of Omotoso's trial at the Gqeberha High Court in 2018. The CPL at the time released a statement criticising what it saw as the South African government's "inefficient" witness protection programme, which it also noted did not extend to whisteblowers who were not themselves witnesses to the crime.[6]
On 7 March 2025, shortly after closing arguments at Omotoso's trial, Mabini was found shot dead in her car, parked outside her home on Tshauka Street, KwaZakele, Gqeberha, by her mother. She was 46 years old.[4][5][6][11] On 11 March, a 44-year-old man was killed at a taxi rink in Njoli; the police subsequently reported that he had been a person of interest in the investigation into Mabini's killing.[5] As of December 2025, no one had been arrested in relation to her death.[6]
Human Rights Watch issued a statement raising concerns about the safety of whistleblowers in South Africa following Mabini's murder.[2] The South African Human Rights Commission expressed "shock" at her murder and criticised authorities for failing to protect her.[5][12] The Human Rights Research Centre called on the South African government to adopt the Whistleblowers Protection Bill.[13]
The African National Congress caucus condemned Mabini's killing.[4] The president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, expressed his condolences to her family.[14] The minister of justice, Mmamoloko Kubayi, also condemned her murder.[15]
Omotoso was subsequently acquitted of all charges and returned to Nigeria. The judgement criticised the prosecution for bungling the case.[6]
Recognition
In December 2025, Mabini was named on of that year's laureates for the Blueprint Whistleblower Prize.[6]
References
- ^ Africa, AlgoaFM South. "Website". www.algoafm.co.za. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
- ^ a b Masiko-Mpaka, Nomathamsanqa (11 March 2025). "Activist and Whistleblower Killed in South Africa". Human Rights Watch. Archived from the original on 21 September 2025. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
- ^ Bezuidenhout, Candice (7 March 2025). "'The loss is extremely painful': Family of Gqeberha activist distraught after shooting claims her life". News24. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c d "The ANC condemns the killing of Gqeberha-based activist Pamela Mabini". African National Congress. 18 March 2025. Archived from the original on 8 July 2025. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Ellis, Estelle (12 March 2025). "Person of interest in murder of whistle-blower Pamela Mabini killed in Nelson Mandela Bay". Daily Maverick. Archived from the original on 16 March 2025. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f "Pamela Mabini". Blueprint for Free Speech. 2025. Archived from the original on 6 December 2025. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
- ^ "A joint media briefing statement by the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL), Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) and the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) in response to the outcome of pastor Timothy Omotoso, the co-accused and the failure of the justice system in successful prosecution of sexual offence cases in South Africa". Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities. 22 April 2025. Archived from the original on 6 December 2025. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
- ^ Harding, Andrew (23 October 2018). "South Africa shocked by live rape trial of Timothy Omotoso". BBC News. Archived from the original on 22 May 2025. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
- ^ Manona, Nosipiwo (5 February 2021). "Timothy Omotoso rape trial: I wanted a father figure, he wanted a girlfriend - witness". News24. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Zeeman, Kyle (8 March 2025). "Another high profile whistleblower gunned down: How safe are those who speak out?". The Citizen. Archived from the original on 5 October 2025. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
- ^ Nel, Brandon (10 March 2025). "Dark day as shooting claims Nelson Mandela Bay's shining light". The Herald. Archived from the original on 5 April 2025. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
- ^ "Media Statement: SAHRC reflects on the killing of a Whistleblower: Pamela Mabini". South African Human Rights Commission. 11 March 2025. Archived from the original on 11 March 2025. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
- ^ "Whistleblower Pamela Mabini Murdered in South Africa". Human Rights Research Centre. 21 March 2025. Archived from the original on 27 April 2025. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
- ^ "President pays tribute to gender activist Pamela Mabini". South African Government News Agency. 9 March 2025. Archived from the original on 14 March 2025. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
- ^ "Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi condemns murder of community activist Pamela Mabini". South African Government. 8 March 2025. Archived from the original on 12 April 2025. Retrieved 6 December 2025.