The news of the shocking murder of senior Gauteng civil servant, Babita Deokaran on Monday morning, sent shockwaves throughout the country.
Deokaran, the chief director of financial accounting in the Gauteng Department of Health, was a key witness in the Special Investigating Unit’s probe into fraudulent Covid-19 PPE contracts, while the country was desperately battling the spread of coronavirus during the first wave last year.
After she dropped her child off at school, she was shot multiple times outside her home in Winchester Hills, Johannesburg just after 8 AM. She was immediately rushed to hospital but succumbed to her gunshot wounds thereafter. Gauteng Premier David Makhuru effectively confirmed to the public that her apparent assassination was due to her involvement in dealing with anti-corruption probes.
Makhuru said on Tuesday a dedicated SAPS provincial task force has been tasked with hunting down the killers while the Daily Maverick reports that an arrest is imminent.
Deokaran’s killers should be brought to book and punished to the full extent of the law. Contract killings from the underworld when dealing with probes into corruption and other criminal activities is nothing new in South Africa.
But how can we expect other brave whistle-blowers and witnesses to come forward and help us put away those that have sold our institutions out if we cannot guarantee their safety?
Here’s a roundup of the most interesting opinions and analyses:
News24 / Fin24
Sex, lies and empowerment: The truth about women and money – Magda Wierzycka (for subscribers)
Sunday Times Daily
If the ANC doesn’t get its act together, SA will become what Zambia was – William Gumede
The Citizen
Stop reshuffling incompetence, and give youngsters a chance – Isaac Mashaba (for subscribers)
Daily Maverick
Eskom is looking to the future – at last – Toby Shapshak
Right on the money: Printing banknotes is easy – solving our economic problems is another story – Ismail Lagardien
Financial Mail
Show me an insurrectionist in handcuffs, Mr Ramaphosa – Justice Malala (for subscribers)
Business Day
What happens to retail figures if we pretend 2020 never happened? – Chris Gilmour (for subscribers)
Standard Bank boldly goes into a futuristic digital mall – Editorial
Mail & Guardian
Gun control in South Africa: tightening the law, and more – Guy Lamb
