By Motshwari Mofokeng
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli has called for stronger measures to protect whistleblowers and citizens who provide critical information to law enforcement in the fight against crime and corruption.
Ntuli was speaking on Sunday, 9 August, during the unveiling of a memorial bust honouring the late Babita Deokaran, a senior Gauteng Health Department official who was assassinated outside her home in August 2021.
Deokaran had raised concerns about suspicious and potentially fraudulent transactions at Tembisa Hospital, estimated at more than R850 million.
Premier Ntuli said her courage represented the spirit of the thousands of women who marched to the Union Buildings in 1956 against the apartheid pass laws.
He said Deokaran refused to remain silent when confronted with corruption and the alleged misuse of public resources meant for vulnerable communities.
“Her courage cost her her life, but it did not defeat her spirit,” Ntuli said.
The Premier urged South Africans to use Women’s Day to reflect on Deokaran’s legacy and the bravery of the women of 1956.
He also challenged government, law enforcement and the criminal justice system to do more to protect whistleblowers who expose criminal syndicates and corruption.
Ntuli said safeguarding these individuals was essential to strengthening democratic institutions and ensuring that those responsible for serious crimes are brought to justice.
email:motshwari@onenews.co.za
