Johannesburg: Babita Deokaran, a top official of Indian descent in South Africa's Health Department, has been shot dead here. The 53-year-old was reportedly behind the unearthing of a massive scam related to the purchase of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) used by healthcare personnel and COVID-19 patients.
South Africa had purchased large quantities of PPE kits last year, but it was alleged the people behind the purchase contract were involved in a fraud amounting to 330 million rand which is approximately over $20 million.
As a senior officer of the Department of Health in the Gauteng province, last year Babita had found malpractice related to its contract. She paid the price for being the whistle-blower.
She was the chief director of financial accounting to Acting Chief Financial Officer (CFO) when she noticed the scam.
Babita was fatally shot on Tuesday morning at a Johannesburg suburb while she was returning home in a car after taking her daughter to school.
Gauteng is one of the nine provinces of South Africa.
