Justice for Babita Deokaran: Police minister addresses ongoing hunt for the masterminds

Five years after the assassination of whistleblower Babita Deokaran, Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia renewed hopes for her family by stating that the hunt for her mastermind/s remained ongoing. Deokaran, a chief director at the Gauteng Department of Health, was killed on August 23, 2021, for exposing over R2 billion in fraud and corruption at Tembisa Hospital.

Six men were arrested and sentenced three days after her death, but the investigation into her murder continues. Cachalia indicated that the masterminds were likely people in power who could protect themselves due to systemic corruption. Deokaran's family, though surprised by the update, appreciated Cachalia's comment and hoped for progress.

They emphasized that powerful individuals involved in corruption needed to be held accountable. The Active Citizens Movement (ACM) emphasized that the urgency for justice should have existed from the start of Deokaran's brutal assassination. They called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to sign off on the Whistleblower Advisories submitted by the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council.

Neeshan Balton of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation stressed the importance of breaking down corrupt systems, blacklisting corrupt companies, and recovering stolen funds. Ali Gule of Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse welcomed the commitment to the case, while Devoshum Moodley-Veera of Integrity activists highlighted significant delays within the justice system that provided perpetrators with opportunities to conceal evidence.

The Protected Disclosures Bill, currently with the Department of Justice, further prolonged efforts to strengthen whistleblower protection.