Memorial and candlelight service for Babita Deokaran

The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation and other civil society organisations hosted a memorial and candlelight vigil for slain Babita Deokaran one year after her death on August 23 at the Mondeor Baptist Church.

Deokaran was gunned down outside her house in Winchester Hills, south of Johannesburg last year after she lifted the lid on corruption at the department of health in Gauteng, Tembisa Hospital in particular.

During the memorial service, Deokaran’s family said they are proud of her legacy and the many awards she has received for fighting corruption. A posthumous Blueprint award was granted to the whistleblower, Babita, which was received by her only daughter, Thia.

Deokaran’s sister Sharlene Ramgoolam said, “Babita’s life revolved around her commitment to work, her family, and her only child, they spent every waking moment together,” said Ramgoolam.

Ramgoolam encouraged other whistleblowers to be courageous and remember fighters such as Deokaran who stood for honesty and integrity till the end.

Babita Deokaran was a member of the Sri Adi Shankara Ashram and they paid tribute to her through Indian songs.
During the memorial her brother-in-law pastor Tony Haripersadh demanded justice.

“Our prayer as a family is that justice must prevail. Those that were responsible for her assassination, those that ordered her assassination, those perpetrators must be brought to book. We have faith to believe that the justice system in South Africa will prevail,” Haripersadh said as he addressed the sombre gathering.

Other speakers echoed their disappointment like Martha Ngoye. She is a whistleblower for the vast corruption at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA). She is PRASA’s group executive for legal, currently suspended pending the outcome of a disciplinary hearing. Ngoye spoke about the state capture in the context of the murder of another whistleblower, Babita Deokaran. She expressed that whistleblowers must be protected.

Acting Treasury DG Ismail Momoniat said, “South Africa is now as corrupt as the most corrupt nations. Thieves don’t want 10%, they want 100%.”

Among the guests, Special Investigating Unit head Andy Mothibi said, “We started as a crippled state and we are unable to meet the needs of our people, even in times where there is a crisis and disaster, people were too busy stealing during Covid. It is not just disgraceful, it’s a form of treason,” said Momoniat.

CEO at OUTA SA Wayne Duvenage joined the numerous voices commending the outstanding work of investigative journalists who continue to connect the dots on issues flagged by Babita Deokaran
The commemoration ended with a short candlelight vigil outside Babita Deokaran’s home at the site where she was brutally murdered. Supporters gave final words of support to the family.

WATCH: Forensic report still outstanding on Deokaran’s murder