Deokaran’s family still waiting for her killers to face the law

Aand year after Gauteng health department official Babita Deokaran’s assassination, her family is no closer to seeing her killers brought to justice.

“It’s been very tough on the entire family… Not a day goes by without us thinking about her and being overcome with grief. It’s hard and painful … and all of us relive that dreadful day every day,” said Tony Haripersad, the family’s spokesperson and Deokaran’s brother-in-law.

In December 2021, Blueprint for Free

Speech gave Deokaran a posthumous award for her work in uncovering massive corruption in the Gauteng health department.

Deokaran (53) was shot on 23 August 2021 outside her home in Winchester Hills, Johannesburg, as she returned home. Her bullet-riddled car bore all the hallmarks of an orchestrated hit. She died at the scene.

At the time of her death, Deokaran was a key witness in a Special Investigating Unit probe into a R332-million personal protective equipment scandal at the Gauteng health department. The State maintains that Deokaran was killed to prevent her testifying.

Three days after the murder, Phakamani Hadebe, Zitha Radebe, Phinda Ndlovu, Sanele Mbhele, Siphiwe Mazibuko and Siphakanyiswa Dladla – all alleged hitmen from KwaZulu-Natal – were arrested.

They are facing charges of murder, attempted murder and the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. The count of attempted murder relates to a person who was in Deokoran’s car at the time of the shooting.

Magistrate Simon Sibanyoni denied bail to the six accused in the Johannesburg Regional Court on 20 December 2021. The accused appeared in court in July for pre-trial purposes and appeared in the Gauteng High Court on Wednesday, 24 August.

“We … pray that justice will prevail. We hope the mastermind can be identified and brought to book and that corruption be rooted out from our government,” said Haripersad.