Special Investigating Unit on measures in place to ensure safety of Whitsleblowers, Witnesses and SIU Investigators
27 August 2021
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has noted the public sentiments and concerns around witness protection following the murder of Chief Director: Financial Accounting in the Gauteng Department of Health, Ms Babita Deokaran. Once more, the SIU wishes to extend its heartfelt condolences to the Doekaran family, colleagues and friends for their loss.
The arrest of seven (7) suspects relating to the murder of Ms Deokaran by the South African Police Service (SAPS) is welcomed by the SIU and brings us closer to finding out the motive behind her murder.
As the SIU has already stated, Ms Babita was one of the more than 320 witnesses in the ongoing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) tender corruption and procurement irregularities investigations in both the public and private sector. The SIU cannot, at this stage, link or associate the murder of Ms Doekaran with the ongoing PPE investigations. SIU will allow the SAPS to get to the bottom of this.
The murder of Ms Deokaran will not affect or compromise the ongoing PPE investigation in the Gauteng Department of Health. The SIU is committed to finalising all PPE tender corruption investigations, hold those responsible for procurement irregularities and corruption to account, and to recover any financial losses suffered by the State.