GOOD statement by Brett Herron,
GOOD Secretary-General & Member of Parliament
23 August 2022
Babita Deokaran, the brave civil servant assassinated a year ago today after daring to intervene in the looting of the State, should be recognised as a national icon of integrity.
Her murder, following years of wanton corruption capped by the looting of the country’s Covid defences, plunged good South Africans hopeful for signs of long-promised resurrection, to new lows of horror and disbelief.
Deokaran was a strong woman who swam in a sea of dishonesty, and paid the ultimate price for kicking against the tide of corruption and impunity.
Given our criminal justice system’s track-record over the past decade or two of conducting investigations and prosecutions with fear and favour according to ruling party whim, the full chain of command behind Deokaran’s murder may never be known.
This, in itself, will be an important indicator of the state of the nation’s values and systems.
It also doesn’t auger well that it took nearly a year for Gauteng Premier David Makhura to announce a probe, last week, into suspicious payments that Deokaran flagged relating to Tembisa Hospital. Makhura and the National Prosecutions Authority should know that South Africans are watching closely.
Beyond holding all who contributed to Deokaran’s murder to account, she should be remembered for her courage and her contribution to her country.
Her integrity, and those of other whistle-blowers, should become an annual focal point on this day in the battle to restore the soul of the nation, where there seems to be an absence of care for those who put their lives at risk in pursuit of justice and rooting out corruption.
Whistle-blowers have played a key role in South Africa and have done so taking great risks with very little to gain.
A number of whistle-blowers who testified at the Zondo Commission faced the consequences in terms of losing their jobs and livelihoods for breaking the silence around State Capture.
As GOOD, we also recently relied on the bravery of a whistle-blower who dared to come forward and submitted evidence on those behind the deadly July unrest to the Hawks.
In honour of Babita Deokaran, and many other whistle-blowers, South Africa has to do more to protect and support the people who dare to take the risk for the sake of the country. Not only for those who have already spoken out, but also for the future of whistleblowers who could make a difference.
Media Enquiries:
Brett Herron, GOOD: Secretary-General & Member of Parliament
Cell: 0825183264
Email: bretth@forgood.org.za
Janke Tolmay, GOOD: Media Manager
Cell: 0733671223
Email: janke@forgood.org.za