Witness in PPE Corruption SIU Probe Shot and Killed Outside Joburg Home

• Chief Director of Financial Accounting at the Gauteng Health Department Babita Deokaran was recently killed outside her home in Johannesburg
• The 53-year-old was reportedly a witness in an investigation being conducted by the Special Investigating Unit regarding the awarding of PPE tenders
• Deokaran returned to the complex she lived in after dropping her child off at school where she was shot multiple times and ultimately killed

Just after dropping her child off at school, Babita Deokaran was shot several times outside her home in Johannesburg. The 53-year-old was reportedly a witness in one of the Special Investigating Unit's (SIU) robes into the corruption of the awarding of personal protective equipment (PPE) tenders.

Deokaran was the Chief Director of Financial Accounting at the Gauteng Department of Health and she died in hospital just hours after the shooting. Police in Gauteng have now launched a search for the perpetrators.

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According to Daily Maverick, police believe that her murder was most likely a hit. However, SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago stated that it was too early in the investigation to make any sort of connection between her testimony and her killing.

Kganyago stated that Deokaran had assisted with many investigations in the past. When the publication inquired about Deokaran's lack of formal witness protection, they were informed that there was no indication of a threat.

Deokaran worked in the Gauteng Health Department for 30 years. News24 revealed that the publication saw unmarked vehicles with police officers inside Deokaran's complex.

Health MEC for Gauteng Nomatehmba Mokgethi shared strong and positive words about Deokaran, stating that she was 'invaluable' and had risen up the ranks in the past 30 years. She called on police and authorities to conduct a thorough investigation.

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Nosicelo Mtebeni's university set to hold a day of mourning in her honour

Previously, Briefly News reported that Nosicelo Mtebeni's tertiary education facility the University of Fort Hare (UFH) will be suspending its academics and other operations on Wednesday, 25 August, in order to mourn her death. The 23-year-old was brutally murdered, allegedly by her boyfriend.

The university will be holding a memorial service on the same day which will be live-streamed. The institute also revealed that its Women's Month programme will now diverge a bit from what was planned initially in order to honour Mtebeni.

Mtebeni's 25-year-old partner has been accused of her vicious murder and appeared before the East London Magistrate's Court on Monday, 23 August, where the case was postponed until 28 September.

Source: Briefly News