‘We’ve heard nothing from the cops’: Babita Deokaran’s family still waiting for justice

For more than a year, whistleblower Babita Deokaran’s family have mourned her death, while being left with more questions than answers.

Deokaran’s brother-in-law, pastor Tony Haripersadh, told Comaro Chronicle that they still heaven’t heard anything from police.

Deokaran was gunned down in a hail of bullets outside her home in Winchester Hills, South Johannesburg, on 23 August 2021, in what appears to have been a hit.

At the time of her death, she was a high-ranking official in the financial division of the Gauteng Department of Health and a whistleblower in several corruption investigations by the Special Investigative Unit, related to the procurement of personal protective equipment in the province.

“That morning, she sent a message to the family group chat like she always did. She was full of life; the glue that held the family together,” Haripersadh said.

He said he had been accustomed to her messages, not knowing that morning was to be the last one he would ever receive.

ALSO READ: Babita Deokaran: One of the ‘hitmen’ still a government employee – report

“She was a very strong, courageous woman. She endured this battle all alone.”

Haripersadh said he wished he had known of her whistleblowing while she was alive, so that he could have advised or protected her.

News24 recently revealed that in the weeks leading up to her death, Deokaran had flagged numerous dodgy payments from Tembisa Hospital totalling R850 million to various contractors.

‘Government disconnect’

Haripersadh said the silence from police further pushed the family to demand justice.

“There is a grave disconnect between the government’s anti-corruption rhetoric and its anti-corruption machinery.

“The government has an anti-corruption strategy, but this will not work if witnesses and whistleblowers are not offered protection,” he told the publication.

“Our prayer as a family is that justice must prevail. Those that were responsible for her assassination, those that ordered her assassination, and the perpetrators must be brought to book.”

But despite little progress being made with Deokaran’s death, he believes the justice system will prevail, and that those responsible would be identified.

‘God is watching’

“What we have been through in the past year, we do not wish that any other family in South Africa goes through the same hurt, pain, and anguish that we have experienced.

“We feel the same way we felt one year ago when she was taken from us.”

He said Deokaran had not died in vain, but died “for South Africa”.

“As a family may I also say, as a pastor, we firmly believe that even if they get away here, God is watching.”

Investigations continue

Earlier this year, Phakamani Hadebe, Zitha Hadebe, Nhlangano Ndlovu, Sanele Mbhele, Simphiwe Mazibuko and Phakanyiswa Dladla were served indictments for murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition related to Deokaran’s killing.

The accused made various confessions and admissions after they were handcuffed, including that they were apparently acting at the behest of former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, but have since claimed they were tortured and were lying.

Last month, the Gauteng provincial government announced that it was finalising the process of appointing an independent forensic investigator to look into allegations pertaining to the case of Deokaran.

NOW READ: Whistleblower Babita Deokaran’s case handed over to independent investigator

Edited by Nica Richards. Additional reporting by Thapelo Lekabe.

Parts of this article first appeared on Caxton publication Comaro Chronicle, by Zebedius Mathobela. Read the original article here.