Family and activists gathered outside slain whistleblower Babita Deokaran’s home in her four years commemoration. Vowing to continue fighting for the arrest of the mastermind behind her assassination..Image credit: Ahmed Kathrada Foundation..
The family of slain whistleblower Babita Deokaran still hopes for justice, four years after her assassination.
Deokaran was assassinated outside her home after she dropped her daughter from school.
Six men have since been sentenced for her killing, but the family insists the masterminds are still at large.
“We believe the six hitmen were just hitmen. They were paid to do a job. We need to find out who the person behind this was, who the mastermind is. And truly, we will not stop,” said a family member.
The South African Federation of Trade Unions’ General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, echoed the family’s words, vowing relentless pursuit of justice.
“Our souls will not rest until we find out who planned this deed. We won’t let Babita die in vain. Our suspicion is that the money probably came from Tembisa Hospital itself.”
Vavi further urged the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and law enforcement agencies to bring those who ordered the hit to book.
“The person who had paid the criminals once identified by the police was himself eliminated so that he would not reveal where the money came from. As we speak here, we don’t know who the masterminds are. We are therefore standing here to make a call to the SIU, police and to the state as whole, we want to know who planned, who hired, who offered money to the crooks who came here to kill Babita.”
The SIU said its investigation into Deokaran’s murder uncovered at least four syndicates operating within the Gauteng health system.
Nishan Bolton, Executive Director of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation told Newzroom Afrika that whistleblowers act not for fame but because they believe in accountability.
“Whistleblowers don’t do this for recognition, they do it because they see something wrong with the system,” Bolton said.
Unanswered Questions About the Day of the Assassination
Babita’s brother, Rakesh Deokaran, questioned the mysterious failures on the day of her death.
He told SABC that security cameras in the area were not functioning, and believes this was no coincidence.
“There are many cameras around here, but nothing worked on that day. Why and how? I don’t know. Remember, with signal jamming, someone with authority had to have jammed signals in this radius for that period of time. And now, if you look at it, it puts everything into perspective, it was well planned and executed. Nobody wanted her alive, that’s for sure.”
The murder of Babita Deokaran remains one of South Africa’s most chilling reminders of the risks faced by whistleblowers.
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