SHE LIT UP THE ROOM

The siblings of slain whistleblower Babita Deokaran tell YOU what a wonderful mother, daughter and sister she was

- MAXINE PETERS

JUST a few weeks ago her older brother and his wife fell ill with Covid-19. Babita Deokaran didn’t think twice when she invited them to isolate at the home she shared with her teenage daughter.

There was nobody else to care for Sunil and his wife, Babita thought. She had more than enough space and insisted on caring for them to see them through their worst symptoms.

Sadly, Sunil lost the battle against the disease – and now weeks later his sister is also gone, gunned down in a brutal murder that sent shockwaves around South Africa.

Her loving gesture towards her brother was typical of Babita, her family say.

“Yes, it was a risk for both her and her daughter – many might not have done the same for fear of falling ill,” says Tony Haripersadh, Babita’s brother-in-law and the Deokaran family spokesperson.

“But that was the type of selfless person she was. She never wanted anyone to suffer and was never one to shy away from responsibility.”

Brave Babita – “Batha” and “Babs” to her family – is how she’s being remembered because of her dedication to doing the right thing.

The 53-year-old chief director of financial accounting at the Gauteng department of health was a key witness assisting the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) in its investigation into an R330-million personal protective equipment (PPE) contracts tender scandal.

The Monday school run on 23 August started just like any other for Babita and her daughter. Little did the two, who were as close as peas in a pod, know that their morning chat in traffic and goodbye would be their last.