The DA has laid criminal charges against the former Gauteng Health CFO who failed to act on murdered whistleblower Babita Deokaran’s corruption report.
Lerato Madyo, now going by Daniella Molapo, was the Gauteng Health Department’s Chief Financial Officer when Deokaran flagged suspicious payments worth R850 million at Tembisa Hospital.
The DA filed charges at Johannesburg Central Police Station on Wednesday, accusing Madyo of ignoring the whistleblower’s warnings and possibly tipping off those behind Deokaran’s August 2021 murder.
“Morning CFO, I am just worried that the guys in Tembisa are going to realise we are onto something. Our lives could be in danger,” Deokaran wrote to Madyo in her final WhatsApp message.
According to the DA, Madyo initially froze R104 million in payments to dodgy companies Deokaran had identified. But she later let the money flow. She promised a full forensic investigation into R850 million worth of transactions but only did a small sample audit – but this report was then buried.
The Gauteng Health Department dragged out Madyo’s disciplinary hearing for two years on 13 misconduct charges. Just before findings were due, they let her resign. She walked off with her pension plus R3 million paid while she was suspended.
“She is surely a chief suspect amongst the small number of those who could have tipped off the mastermind behind Babita’s murder,” said DA Shadow Health MEC Dr Jack Bloom, in a media statement.
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The charges include: Failing to report corruption over R100,000 (PRECCA Act); conspiracy to commit fraud; violating the Public Finance Management Act and financial misconduct.
Deokaran was gunned down outside her Johannesburg home on 23 August 2021.
Six hitmen received sentences ranging from six to 22 years. They were reportedly paid R2 million for the assassination. But whoever ordered the hit remains free.
The Special Investigating Unit found over 100 officials involved in multiple corruption syndicates at the hospital, building on evidence Deokaran provided before her death.
“We will not rest until all those implicated in the theft of more than R2 billion from Tembisa Hospital are charged and convicted in court,” Bloom said. “This includes the kingpins of the various syndicates who looted public money with fake companies, and most important of all, the mastermind who ordered Babita’s murder.”
The DA is demanding broader investigations into everyone connected to the scandal, including Maumela, and wants corrupt actors blacklisted from future government contracts.
See the full charge sheet here.
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