Gauteng premier David Makhura has commended swift police action after the arrest of two more suspects in connection with the murder of senior health official Babita Deokaran.

He says this is one step closer to achieving successful prosecutions and convictions that will ensure justice for Deokaran.

“We are confident that our criminal justice system will ensure that there is swift justice for Babita Deokaran, our departed exemplary and outstanding public servant,” he said. 

Makhura reiterated the government's determination to work with the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) in uncovering all acts of corruption and recovering money stolen from the government.

“We will not be distracted from our efforts to crack down on corruption in the province by those who give orders to kill whistle-blowers so that they can continue to loot state resources,” said Makhura. 

Police minister Bheki Cele said the men were found with two cars, one firearm and piles of cash. He said police have so far established that the murder of Deokaran was an “expensive exercise”, for which the suspects were “paid a lot of money each”.

Police last week arrested seven men but only six appeared in court after the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) could not link one of them to the evidence.

The six men — Phakamani Hadebe, Zita Hadebe, Nhlangano Ndlovu, Sanele Mbele, Siphiwe Mazibuko and Phakanyiswa Dladla — appeared in the Johannesburg magistrate’s court. 

They were charged with murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and possession of unlicensed firearms.

The matter has been postponed to September 13 for bail applications.

Deokaran, 53, died in a hail of bullets last Monday in Winchester Hills, south of Johannesburg. She was a key witness in an investigation run from Makhura’s office into personal protective equipment (PPE) tender corruption.