“The DA calls on the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to not stop the investigation there, and continue find the orchestrators of Babita’s murder…”
Please find attached a soundbite by Michele Clarke MP.
Today marks a full 2 years since Babita Deokaran was ruthlessly assassinated for daring to expose corruption at Tembisa Hospital.
And while her six killers pleaded guilty yesterday and were sentenced to between 6 and 22 years in prison, the masterminds of the whistleblower’s assassination still remain at large, as does the individual who allegedly pulled the trigger. The DA calls on the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to not stop the investigation there, and continue find the orchestrators of Babita’s murder, including the alleged middlemen identified as Khanyisani Mpungose and Sithole/Jobe.
Not only has all of Babita’s murderers yet to face justice, the Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, revealed in April that “no Department within the public health sector have blacklisted any company since 1 January 2020 to date,” which means that the dubious companies that Babita paid with her life to flag are free to continuing fleecing Tembisa Hospital and the Gauteng Department of Health.
Furthermore, the Department of Health has not dedicated any resources to protecting whistleblowers, as confirmed by the Minister in answer to a DA parliamentary question. Details about the promised collaboration with the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to develop a whistleblowing protection, risk assessment and mitigation procurement systems have not been forthcoming. And despite repeatedly asking the Minister for his Department’s approved Fraud Prevention Plan and Whistle Blowing Policy Statement, it seems to be nothing more than a footnote in the annual report as this too has never been provided.
It is clear that the Department of Health has no interest in honouring Babita’s sacrifice. Instead of creating systems and processes that will protect whistleblowers and encourage them to expose corruption, the Department is creating a culture where the corrupt continue to flourish at the expense of staff and patients.
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