By Mamelodi News - 13 January 2026 - Behind closed doors of South Africa's ongoing battle against corruption, a grim pattern persists: those who dare to speak truth to power often pay the ultimate price. Whistleblowers, auditors, and activists who expose graft and malfeasance in government and private sectors are increasingly targeted, their voices silenced through brutal assassinations. As Mamelodi News, we stand in solidarity with these brave individuals and their families, wishing fervently that justice prevails for all who have been killed for their integrity. Their sacrifices highlight the urgent need for stronger protections, thorough investigations, and accountability from those in power. Today, we remember Babita Deokaran, Mpho Mafole, Witness D (Marius van der Merwe), and several others whose stories demand our attention and action.
Babita Deokaran, a dedicated civil servant and acting chief financial officer in the Gauteng Department of Health, was gunned down outside her home in Johannesburg on August 23, 2021. She had blown the whistle on fraudulent personal protective equipment (PPE) contracts worth nearly R850 million during the COVID-19 pandemic, flagging irregular payments that implicated high-level officials. Her murder sent shockwaves through the nation, underscoring how whistleblowers are eliminated to protect corrupt networks. Despite arrests of suspects, the masterminds behind her assassination remain at large, leaving her family and colleagues yearning for closure.
Similarly tragic is the case of Mpho Mafole, the head of corporate and forensic audits for the City of Ekurhuleni, who was assassinated in July 2025. Mafole was tracked and executed in a targeted hit, believed to be linked to his investigations into municipal corruption. As the only child of elderly parents, his death not only robbed a family of their son but also exposed the vulnerabilities faced by anti-corruption officials in local government. Organizations like the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners South Africa condemned the killing as a stark reminder of entrenched corruption's dangers, calling for immediate reforms to safeguard those on the front lines.
The recent murder of Marius van der Merwe, known as "Witness D" during his testimony at the Madlanga Commission, adds another layer of urgency to this crisis. Van der Merwe was shot dead outside his Brakpan home on December 5, 2025, in front of his wife and children, after providing evidence on the criminal infiltration of law enforcement and political structures. Police have identified persons of interest and are making progress in the investigation, but his assassination has sparked widespread calls for whistleblower reform, with President Cyril Ramaphosa vowing intensified protection efforts. This brazen act, captured on CCTV, serves as a turning point, highlighting how even protected witnesses are not safe from retaliation.
These are not isolated incidents. South Africa's history is marred by the deaths of numerous whistleblowers over the decades. Moss Phakoe, an ANC councillor in the North West, was assassinated in 2009 after compiling a dossier on local corruption. Jimmy Mohlala, a municipal speaker who exposed irregularities in the 2010 World Cup stadium tenders, met a similar fate in 2010, with no convictions to date. More recently, liquidators Cloete Murray and his son Thomas were murdered in March 2023 while investigating insolvency cases tied to corruption. Community activist Pamela Mabini was killed in March 2025 in Gqeberha for her whistleblowing on local issues, prompting outrage from human rights groups. And Sindiso Magaqa, an ANC youth leader who spoke out against graft in KwaZulu-Natal, was assassinated in 2017.
This rising death toll, documented by organizations like the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) and Corruption Watch, reveals a brutal pattern where auditors, liquidators, and whistleblowers are systematically eliminated. From apartheid-era exposures to post-democracy scandals, the retaliation has evolved but the outcome remains the same: lives lost and justice delayed. President Ramaphosa and others have acknowledged the need for better safeguards, yet implementation lags, leaving many in fear.
As we reflect on these fallen heroes, Mamelodi News calls upon the government, law enforcement, and society to ensure that justice prevails. No more names should be added to this tragic list. Let us honor Babita, Mpho, Witness D, and all others by demanding swift prosecutions, enhanced whistleblower protections, and a corruption-free South Africa. Their courage inspires us; their memory demands action. May justice, at long last, be served.
#justiceforwhistleblowers #JusticeForAll #mamelodinews
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