Freedom Under Law (FUL) said the apparent assassination attempt on South African Revenue Service (Sars) advocate Coreth Naudé’s life has a potentially chilling effect on key role players in the justice system.

FUL executive officer Judith February noted on Friday that in a functional democracy, judges, lawyers, prosecutors, investigators and all responsible for law enforcement must be able to do their jobs without fear of losing their lives.

This follows news reports of an attempt on Naudé’s life after she was critically injured in a shooting by unknown attackers in Durban. Naude was said to be involved in several high-profile Sars tax inquiries.

February stated that the “brazen attempt” on Naudé’s life raised serious concerns about the possibility of it being linked to matters investigated by her. Similar killings are not unique, she added.

“There have been others, notably the assassination of Bosasa liquidators, Thomas and Cloete Murray, the murder of Anti-Gang Unit police officer Charl Kinnear, who was investigating cases involving organised crime, and the murder of Gauteng Department of Health whistleblower Babita Deokaran, who was killed after flagging a series of suspicious and potentially fraudulent transactions. In addition, forensic investigator Zenzele Sithole was shot dead in Johannesburg last week,” she pointed out.

These events, apart from causing unspeakable pain to the families of the victims, raise fundamental concerns that those who threaten to expose corruption are themselves at risk of assassination, February noted.

“They point to murder being used as a tool to delay, distort, and pervert the course of the law. This situation is untenable,” she said.

FUL wished Naudé a full and speedy recovery and urged law enforcement agencies to ensure that those responsible were speedily brought to justice.

Sars Commissioner Edward Kieswetter said the attempt on Naude’s life intended to intimidate officers of the court.

“It undermines the authority of the State. Acts such as these and those who perpetrate it, must be resisted and defeated by all of us working together for the betterment of our country and ensuring that none are above the law,” he said.