Babita Deokaran, the chief director of financial accounting in the Gauteng Department of Health, has been killed in South Africa in what is being called ‘a targeted hit’.

Deokaran was a key witness in an inquiry into pandemic-related corruption. She had just dropped off her daughter at school in Johannesburg before returning home, when two gunmen ambushed her in her car.

A statement from Gauteng Premier David Makhura said Deokaran had been appointed chief director of financial accounting and acting CFO in August 2020 in the aftermath of “irregular and unlawful PPE procurement”. She uncovered corruption and stopped all payments on irregular contracts. This led to dismals in her own department and civil action to recover public funds.