Babita Deokaran remembered a year after her assassination

Today marks exactly a year since Babita Deokaran was shot execution-style outside her home in Winchester Hills, south of Johannesburg.

Deokaran, who was a senior health department official in Gauteng, was killed by gunmen who shot her through the window of her vehicle at the entrance to her home.


She had just dropped off her daughter at school when her assailants pounced on her.

Early today, her family was joined by the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, Active Citizens Movement, Defend Our Democracy Campaign, Action for Accountability, Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse, and community members to lay flowers at the spot where she took her last breath.

Deokaran’s brother in-law Tony Haripersad said the late whistleblower did not die in vain.

“Babita may have been silenced but her courage to speak out against corruption speaks volumes,” said Haripersad.

“She was a person who was hands-on and she did her job to prevent the rot of corruption from happening in our country. We believe that justice will prevail.”

Her brother Rajesh Deokaran described the former health official as a great person who had held the family together.

“Babita was a pillar of strength for our family and her absence has left a huge void in our lives. We are still pinning our hopes that justice will be done and that those who murdered her will pay for their evil deeds,” he said.

Six suspects – Nhlanganiso Ndlovu, Siphakanyisa Dladla, Zitha Radebe, Simphiwe Mazibuko, Sanele Mbele and Phakamani Radebe – are on trial for Deokaran’s murder.

No closure in sight for Babita Deokaran’s family

Slain whistleblower Deokaran’s chilling message to colleague days before hit

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