On 23 August 2021, a quiet, hardworking single mom was shot down in a hail of bullets as she drove home. Her name was Babita Deokaran, chief accountant at Tembisa Hospital. The izinkabi paid to kill her were caught, but the question remained: who ordered her murder, and why?
Crime reporter Jeff Wicks set out to find the answer – a pursuit that would profoundly change, even endanger, his life. This is an explosive investigation into state capture and a moving tribute to the cost of integrity.
This powerful and unsettling account investigates the shocking assassination of Babita Deokaran, a senior health department official and whistleblower who stood against corruption in South Africa.
Drawing on extensive research, investigative journalism, and firsthand testimonies, The Shadow State reveals how Deokaran’s courage in exposing fraudulent dealings made her a target — and how her death exposes the deep rot within the system. More than a true-crime story, this book is a piercing examination of political corruption, accountability, and the cost of speaking truth to power.
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