Four years later: the ongoing fight for justice in Babita Deokaran's case

Every day the family of slain whistleblower, Babita Deokaran shares a post which calls on President Cyril Ramaphosa to find the mastermind/s.
Image: Supplied
TODAY marks 1 401 days since whistle-blower, Babita Deokaran, was shot and killed outside her home in Gauteng,
While the six 'hitmen' have been sentenced, her family continues to fight for justice and calls on President Cyril Ramaphosa to find the 'mastermind/s' behind her murder.
Babita, 53, who was the chief director of financial accounting at the Gauteng Department of Health, was killed on August 23 in 2021.
It is alleged that a hit was put on the mother of one after she blew the whistle on fraud and corruption related to Covid-19 PPE procurement amounting to R332 million at the Tembisa Hospital.
Three days later, six men were arrested and charged with murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
Phakamani Hadebe, Zitha Radebe, Nhlangano Ndlovu, Sanele Mbhele, Siphiwe Mazibuko and Phakanyiswa Dladla, who entered into a plea agreement with the State, were sentenced in the South Gauteng High Court on August 22 last year.
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However, during the court proceedings it emerged that the 'mastermind/s' were still at large.
At the time, Phindi Mjonondwane, the Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson said authorities had been looking into 'certain people of interest' named during the plea and sentence negotiations'.
'They provided us with information that will get us the mastermind,' she said.
Speaking to the POST this week, Rakesh Deokaran, Babita's younger brother, who resides in Johannesburg, said the wheels of justice were not turning.
'It will be four years since her death, but there is still no closure. My sister's soul will never rest until the mastermind or masterminds who made sure they silence her are found.
'We, as the family, will also never be able to heal until there is justice for her. But we refuse to remain silent for her and for all other whistleblowers who put their lives at risk to stop corruption."
Deokaran said the family were left in the dark about the progress on the case.
'Almost a year after the sentencing of the 'hitmen' and we don't know what is happening with the case. But it is not our duty to ask, we should be given regular updates instead of deafening silence. There seemingly no will to find the mastermind or masterminds in her case.
'We have been calling for an intervention from our president. The person or people need to be brought to book. Just before my sister was killed, she said her life was at risk and exposed people, but nothing was done. Nothing was also done to protect her. Our government is failing whistle-blowers.
'We also found it to be very suspicious that a fire started in the filing room at the Tembisa Hospital and then there was another fire a few days later. We held a silent protest outside the hospital, calling for a swift investigation. We call on our government to speed up the investigations,' she said.
Deokaran added the pain of losing Babita, who was formerly of Phoenix in Durban and one of eight siblings, still felt new.
'I feel like I just received that call that my sister had been killed. The grief will never go away. We mourn her every day. Babita was our pillar of strength and the glue that held us together. She had that maternal instinct and cared for all of us. She was the most wonderful and caring person. She was a woman of integrity. We will not let her fight against corruption go in vain.'

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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Aphelele Mtwecu, a proud member of the Activate Change Drivers Network and a2016 Activator. She is a content writer, activist Image: Supplied Contentions of Timelines and Due Processes So, how exactly does a presidential delegation meeting occur on Wednesday and have a new policy gazetted by Friday? 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IOL News

2 hours ago

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Addressing the crisis: whistle-blower murders and the need for legal reform

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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Saneka said while 'hitmen' involved in the killing of whistle-blowers may occasionally face charges, the architects of these crimes evade accountability. 'The unsolved murder of Babita Deokaran, exposes systemic failure. Law enforcement and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) lack proactive strategies to target orchestrators, perpetuating a culture of impunity. Without high-level prosecutions, whistle-blowers remain vulnerable." Saneka said the ACM submitted comprehensive proposals to the Zondo Commission in 2021, and directly to President Cyril Ramaphosa in January this year. 'We detailed five interim measures in our letter to the president, Department of Justice (DoJ) and National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council (NACAC). Despite follow-ups, no substantive feedback has been provided to ACM or to the citizens of South Africa. Neither has any action been taken as far as we are aware. In addition, NACAC's advisories to the president remain confidential, undermining public accountability 'We also ask that the DoJ fast track the Whistleblower Protection Bill and propose that the National Director of Public Prosecutions is directly accountable to Parliament. 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Ultimately, the results at the polls will also tell, as we have seen during the elections last year which led to a Government of National Unity.' THE POST

The Citizen

3 hours ago

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ConCourt's 'humanistic jurisprudence' source of pride, Ramaphosa

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