STORY | Babita Deokaran’s Legacy of Dauntlessness and Strength Will Live on Forever.

It's scary how far some people are willing to go to cover up their corruption and wrongdoing. It is not right.

Murder has become a resolution to preventing the exposure of corruption in South Africa.
Being a whistle-blower has become lethal. Babita Deokaran, one of many whistle-blowers filled with integrity, was assassinated for speaking out and investigating corruption in her sector.

The assassination of people attempting to protect this nation from corruption expresses the need for more protection and safety for the whistle-blowers of this country. The dire situation for whistleblowers in South Africa, notwithstanding the fundamental importance of their role, has been recognised by the Zondo Commission, the country's independent public inquiry into major state corruption.

At the time of her death, Babita was acting Chief Financial Officer at the Gauteng Department of Health. She was also a key witness in an ongoing Special Investigating Unit probe into the alleged corrupted procurement tenders of personal protective equipment in the department, the province and throughout SA. The 53-year-old was shot outside her home in Winchester Hills, Johannesburg on 23 August 2021 after she’d dropped off her daughter at school.

What happened to Babita highlights the extraordinary stakes of whistleblowing in South Africa and the utter inadequacy of physical - never mind legal - protections available to those who raise their voices in the fight against corruption.

One year after her assassination, a memorial service was held to celebrate and honour her
courage. Thia(17), Babita’s only child, accepted the 2021 Blueprint for Free Speech Special Recognition Awd on behalf of her mother. This really touched me. The fear and trauma this young womahas to live with is agonising, all because her mother stood for honesty.

Although the pain and suffering to her loved ones caused by her tragic assassination is unbearable, we hope that her heroic actions and ultimate sacrifice will radically improve the South African fight against corruption, especially within the Government sector, as well as help reform the current whistleblower protection act.

Her death is a great tragedy, what she has left behind is something immeasurable. She is a true hero and we know that heroes never indeed die. Her legacy of dauntlessness and strength will live on forever. 

Six men are accused of involvement in her murder and their trial is expected to take place later this year. Whoever ultimately ordered the murder of Babita Deokaran is, however, still at large.

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Cred: Daily Maverick Opionista

Photo: Shiraaz Mohamed

Comments

  1. Thando DladlaOctober 10, 2022 at 7:52 AM

    Babita’s name will definately never be erased in the history books. Nice story Dion

    ReplyDelete
  2. Vincent ChirwaOctober 17, 2022 at 2:31 PM

    Long live the spirit of Babita long live

    ReplyDelete

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