Murdered whistleblower's position still vacant

29 September 2022

Babita Deokaran was the Chief Director: Financial Accounting at the Gauteng Health Department when she was murdered on 23 August last year after blowing the whistle on massive corruption, but her position has still not been filled.

This is revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi in a written reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.

According to Mokgethi, the post was advertised on 5 September 2021, with the closing date at 17 September. Shortlisting for the post was only done on 4 July 2022, but no suitable candidate could be shortlisted, so it was advertised again on 4 September with a closing date of 16 September 2022.

The person responsible for filling this position was the Chief Financial Officer Lerato Madyo, who was recently suspended pending an investigation of R850 million payments by Tembisa Hospital which Babita identified as “possibly fraudulent.”

Another disclosure is that Madyo charged Babita with Gross Insubordination, Improper Conduct, and Dereliction of Duty, and put her on precautionary suspension away from head office.

These charges were all withdrawn later. It looks like Madyo made them up to stop Babita from uncovering suspicious payments.

Babita’s key financial position should have been filled as soon as possible, but I suspect that certain posts are deliberately left open because this facilitates corruption.

I am convinced that Madyo did not act alone, and other head office staff implicated in dubious dealings should be identified and suspended as soon as possible.

This department needs to spend its budget productively to treat patients in hospitals, rather than serve as a piggybank for crooked people.

The Gauteng health care system is already under tremendous pressure and requires all hands-on deck, therefore the DA proposes that all unfilled posts be filled rapidly with competent and honest people.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 29 September 2022