President Cyril Ramaphosa, amid growing calls for his resignation, has doubled down on his intention to put an end to corruption.
The president made these remarks in reaction to the cold-blooded murder of Babita Deokaran, a 53-year-old Gauteng Health Department senior official who was at the centre of an ongoing Special Investigating Unit (SIU) tender fraud case.
Cyril Ramaphosa issues warning to corrupt cronies
In his weekly letter to South Africans, Ramaphosa becried the death of Deokaran, who was killed outside of her Winchester Hills home on Monday 23 August.
Seven suspects have since been arrested and charged with her murder and while no connection has formerly been made between the killing and her involvement in an SIU tender fraud case. Ramaphosa could not ignore the coincidence.
“Regardless of the circumstances behind this tragedy, Ms Deokaran was a hero and a patriot. As are the legions of whistleblowers who, at great risk to themselves, help to unearth instances of misdeeds, maladministration, cronyism and theft,” he wrote.
The president urged whistleblowers to utilise resources like the witness protection programme to avoid the brutal fate that met Deokaran last week.
“It is clear that as the fight against corruption gathers momentum, we need to urgently review our current approach not only to witness protection, but also to the broader protection of whistleblowers,” he said.
‘Ramaphosa must fall’ gains momentum
As matters into Deokaran’s investigation progress, on social media, a faction of disgruntled South Africans have been gaining momentum with their call for Ramaphosa to step aside.
Rising unemployment, the ongoing conviction of former president Jacob Zuma and many other factors have been brought up as motivations behind the trending topic.
These were some of the reactions we picked out from the trend:
If he resigned NOW, is the ANC going to be better? Guys, problem is the ANC as a whole….we must vote them OUT!!#RamaphosaMustFall
— Ofentse Sikwane (@Ofs5B) August 30, 2021
Ramaphosa has failed to lead the country and ANC #RamaphosaMustFall pic.twitter.com/kTAjRErkqg
— FreeJacobZuma (@malencane7) August 30, 2021
First it was #MarikanaMassacre followed by #PhoenixMassacre now he's busy arresting opponents, what's next? #RamaphosaMustFall . pic.twitter.com/x5DGWQvH05
— Battalion 54 (@54Battalion) August 30, 2021
The dictator must fall, we are no longer free in this country, using intimidation style to silence those who disagree with you is a threat to democracy #ThumaMinaMediaGroup #RamaphosaMustFall pic.twitter.com/HaUlmCmXbm
— Truthteller (@Truthte83602973) August 30, 2021
Elections are coming South Africans #RamaphosaMustFall on the ballot papers. He must not only fall here on Twitter. No #ThumaMinaMediaGroup will protect him during elections against the citizens pic.twitter.com/FCxah5VPp1
— KETSO_4LIFE (@KETSO_4LIFE) August 30, 2021
