Durban - FORMER Durbanite and a senior Gauteng government official, Babita Deokaran, “was rewarded for being an honest, hard-working and loyal government employee by having 12 bullets pumped into her, and had no chance to survive”.
“Where in the world are you punished in such a heinous way for doing your job, and doing it honestly?” asked her brother Darshan.
Family and friends mourned Deokaran, 53, at her funeral in Phoenix on Thursday. The mother of one was shot dead outside her house in Mondeor, Johannesburg, on Monday shortly after dropping off her daughter at school.
She was the acting chief financial officer the Gauteng Department of Health, and was a witness in one of the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) probes into corruption in the awarding of contracts for personal protective equipment (PPE).
The multimillion-rand contract was awarded to the company owned by suspended presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko’s late husband and amaBhaca chief, Thandisizwe Diko.
The SIU confirmed that Deokaran had been one of its witnesses, but spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago told the media that although she was a witness, Deokaran had never asked for protection.
The SIU report found that then Health MEC Bandile Masuku had failed to practise oversight to stop corruption, and recommended disciplinary action against him. Gauteng Premier David Makura subsequently fired him.
Gauteng Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi described Deokaran as an honest and dependable official who was also a good source of information.
Mokgethi’s tribute was read at the funeral by Rose Phasha, the acting chief director in Supply Chain Management.
The MEC said she, like everyone in the department, was shocked and left with utter disbelief at Deokaran’s murder.
Deokaran had joined the department in 2006, and always did her work diligently.
“She was a key figure in our department. She fully implemented the Public Finance Management Act policies, and was honest and hard working. She did her work diligently and worked with the collective. She was ambitious, and wherever she was appointed she would produce good work,” said the MEC.
She added that Deokaran had exercised Batho Pele principles well, and had massive knowledge of her work. She described Deokaran as a mother and sister to many in the department. This past weekend the department had had a session in which Deokaran took a leadership role.
Among those who sent messages of condolence were Premier Sihle Zikalala and Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, who described Deokaran as a hero who sacrificed her life so that future generations would live in a crime-free South Africa.
Her family – including her brother, nephews and nieces – paid moving tributes to Deokaran, describing her as a caring and loving person.
“My sister was not just a number in the government system. She was a treasured mum, a sister, an aunt, a friend and a colleague. She was loved, more than anything, and now a family is shattered and a child left motherless. My sister had dreams, my sister loved life, and now all that was taken away by these barbarians. She was full of love, laughter and joy,” said Darshan.
“South Africans we all need to be angry. We cannot accept this. My sister should not lose her promising future in vain. If we can make this country better for her daughter and nieces and nephews, I know she would believe that she did not sacrifice her life in vain.”
Her former teacher at Daleview Secondary School, Benny Maistry, said he had had the pleasure of teaching most of the Deokaran siblings, but said Babita was his favourite.
Deokaran had moved to Gauteng in 1997. She leaves behind her 16-year-old daughter Thiara, whom she raised on her own. Family spokesperson Pastor Tony Haripersadh described her as a strong and fearless woman.
He said the family was devastated, yet honoured that she was a noble, brave woman who gave her life for integrity and refused to compromise on her position against financial malpractice and fraudulent activities.
Daily News