'We will weaponise your legacy against the mafia state, and refuse to let the truth be buried with you'
Join us as we unveil a monument to Babita Deokaran, a courageous whistleblower whose fight against corruption cost her life. This tribute not only remembers her legacy but also challenges us to protect those who stand for truth, writes Neeshan Balton, executive director of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation
Today, we gather in Mount Edgecombe on National Women's Day to unveil a monument honoring Babita Deokaran, a brave whistleblower who paid the ultimate price for speaking truth to power. Her story reminds us that those who fight corruption are often met with cruel tactics, including the weaponization of disciplinary processes to silence them.
Babita, a devoted mother and loyal public servant, was suspended and ostracized for her integrity, allowing public funds meant for life-saving care to be diverted to private interests. Her death is not an isolated incident but part of a pattern of targeted violence against those who dare to challenge corruption. We must remember Babita not just as a symbol, but as a woman whose integrity could never be bought, bullied, or buried.
This tribute is a call to protect those who stand where she once stood, to ensure that the truth is not buried with her.
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