Mapaballo Borotho
- The DA in Gauteng has laid criminal charges against Lerato Madyo, the former boss of slain whistleblower Babita Deokaran, for failing to act on corruption reports at Tembisa Hospital.
- Madyo allegedly ignored Babita’s warnings and later allowed millions in suspicious payments to proceed.
- Babita’s family is still waiting for justice as the alleged mastermind behind her murder remains at large.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has opened criminal charges against the former boss of slain whistleblower Babita Deokaran, over her alleged role in the Tembisa Hospital corruption scandal.
Lerato Madyo was Babita’s manager at the time of her passing.
“The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has laid criminal charges today against Ms Lerato Madyo, the Gauteng Health Department’s former Chief Financial Officer (CFO), who failed to act on slain whistleblower Babita Deokaran’s report on possible fraudulent transactions at Tembisa Hospital,” said the DA’s Shadow MEC for Health in the province, Jack Bloom.
In 2021, Babita uncovered a multi-million-rand tender scandal within the Gauteng Department of Health and Tembisa Hospital, corruption that many believe she was silenced for exposing.
Following her tragic death, which sent shockwaves across the nation, President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to probe the alleged corruption at Tembisa Hospital.
In September 2025, the Unit revealed that R2 billion was siphoned from the facility through irregular contracts. Among those linked to the scandal were controversial figures, including Hangwani Maumela, President Ramaphosa’s nephew from his previous marriage, and Vusi “Cat” Matlala, an alleged contract murderer.
A few days before her death, Babita sent Madyo a WhatsApp message that read:
“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.”
Madyo initially froze R104 million in payments to the suspicious companies flagged by Babita, but later allowed those payments to proceed.
Bloom said that after assuring Babita she would act on her recommendation for a forensic investigation into transactions worth R850 million, Madyo only commissioned a small sample audit, and even that report was suppressed.
“The Gauteng Health Department dragged out her disciplinary enquiry on 13 misconduct charges for two years. Scandalously, they allowed her to resign shortly before a finding was to be made, so she walked off with her pension and R3 million paid to her while she was suspended,” Bloom added.
Bloom days Madyo offensesis surely a chief suspect among the small number of people who could have tipped off the mastermind behind Babita’s murder.
Madyo currently goes by the name Daniella Molapo.
The DA has laid the following charges against her:
• Contravening Section 34 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act (PRECCA) — failure to report corruption, theft, fraud, extortion, or forgery of R100,000 or more.
• Violating Section 21 of PRECCA — conspiracy to commit an offence.
• Contravening Section 18 of the Criminal Procedure Act — attempting or conspiring to commit offences such as fraud.
• Violations of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).
Although six men have been sentenced to various terms after reaching plea deals with the State, Babita’s family continues to wait for true justice, as the alleged mastermind behind her cold-blooded murder may still be roaming free.
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