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The South African Police Service (SAPS) must commit all its resources into identifying and arresting the criminal masterminds behind the brutal killing of Gauteng health official, Babita Deokaran. 

Last week, Deokaran was murdered outside her Winchester Hills home. It is suspected that she was a key whistle-blower in an investigation into dodgy Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) contracts in Gauteng.

The SAPS must be applauded for the speedy arrests made in this matter – something that is unfortunately all too uncommon in South Africa. The SAPS now have an opportunity to build our trust in their ability to serve South Africans. For too long their capacity has been undermined by the politicisation of SAPS leadership by the ANC.

Corruption has been allowed to metastasize into every part of our government. It has spread from the very top of our government – robbing millions of the South Africans of the services they need to lead dignified lives. 

No country can thrive, no economy can flourish, and no services can be provided to residents in an environment of rampant corruption and lawlessness.

Despite the promises of accountability and clean government by the likes of President Ramaphosa, South Africans have every reason to not trust these empty words. Just recently, instead of ensuring that the disgraced former Minister of Health, Zweli Mkhize, was held accountable for his part in the Digital Vibes corruption scandal, the President saw fit to praise Mkhize, who allegedly siphoned money from the Health Department during a pandemic. Mkize is yet to face accountability for this alleged corruption. 

Corruption and lawlessness cannot be tolerated any longer. Justice must be done and seen to be done by our communities. This includes holding powerful and politically connected individuals to account – those linked to the PPE contracts investigation must be the prime suspects.

It is not enough to simply find Babita Deokaran’s alleged killers – those responsible for ordering the alleged hit on her life must be brought to book. 

While the present 6 suspects remain in jail, it is imperative that further investigations are made, and the masterminds are arrested.

While the case has been postponed to the 13th of September 2021, ActionSA will continue to closely monitor the situation. 

Issued by ActionSA