The murder of whistle-blower, Babita Deokaran, who courageously flagged suspicious payments, underscores the deadly consequences of corruption and the urgent need for systemic reform.
Dedicated to all whistle-blowers who have sacrificed their livelihoods and their lives. This Whistleblower Protection Bill is for them. It is for Babita Deokaran.
As South Africans, we have failed our whistle-blowers, the protectors of our democracy.
More than four years ago, on August 23, 2021, Babita Deokaran, a single mother and chief accountant in the Gauteng Department of Health, was gunned down outside her home. She had flagged irregular payments, maintained an evidentiary paper trail exposing those who looted public funds meant to serve the health needs of especially the poor, and tried to stop R100 million in questionable payments just days before her murder.
The Active Citizens Movement (ACM) wrote to President Cyril Ramaphosa the following day. We expressed our deep anger, but also our profound sadness. We honoured Babita as a warrior who would not overlook corruption nor bow down to abusive power. We called for action.
