The sister of slain chief director of financial accounting in the Gauteng Department of Health Babita Deokaran has expressed anger over her killing, describing her sister as not just a number working in government.

Deokaran, who was shot outside her home, in Johannesburg, on Monday, was a witness in the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU’s) personal protective equipment (PPE) probe.

Her sister Renu Williams said in a social media post that South Africans needed to be angry about Deokaran’s death and that it should not be accepted.

“In other parts of the world honesty is applauded and celebrated. Accolades are showered on you. You are a hero. This is my sister Babita Deokaran. She was rewarded for being an honest, hardworking and loyal government employee by having twelve bullets pumped into her. She had no chance, the perpetrators did not want to scare her. They wanted to eliminate her. Where in the world is that ok and acceptable? Where in the world are you punished in such a heinous way for doing your job and doing it honestly?” Williams said.

SILENCING A WHISTLEBLOWER

The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation (AKF) said Deokaran had previously shared information with the Foundation after she was demoted, indicating that she was seen as a threat because of the high levels of integrity she had maintained.

According to the AKF, Deokaran had said that she was seen as an obstacle to payments being made to certain companies. She faced misconduct charges, which she said were trumped up owing to her tough stance on corruption. The charges were withdrawn after the Gauteng PPE scandal was exposed.

“While we do not know as yet the exact reason behind her killing, it bears all the hallmarks of an assassination aimed at silencing a whistleblower. Possible linkages to her anti-corruption related efforts must be investigated,” said AKF executive director Neeshan Balton.

He stated that Deokaran had previously indicated that law enforcement had access to the information she had shared with the Foundation and did not yet want it made public.

The Foundation will send Deokaran’s information to the SIU in the hope that it will potentially provide new clues that may result in justice for her.

Meanwhile, a group of African National Congress activists, known as the Strategic Dialogue Group (SDG) strongly condemned Deokaran’s “cold blooded assassination”, saying this act is intended to intimidate and silence conscientious and honest public servants so that the corrupt continue to plunder public resources.

The SDG said this situation calls for South Africa to stand firmly united and to reject attempts to drag the country into a weak and fragile state where impunity reigns supreme.

The SDG called for law enforcement agencies to prioritise the case so that the perpetrators were swiftly brought to book, and said the safety, protection and support of honest civil servants and whistleblowers should also be prioritised.

Meanwhile, Williams said South Africans needed to stand together and speak up until the perpetrators are punished.

“South Africans, we all need to be angry. We cannot accept this. My sister should not lose her promising future in vain. If we can make this country better for her daughter and nieces and nephews I know she would believe that she did not sacrifice her life in vain,” she said.