Director-General in the Presidency, Phindile Baleni has been assigned protection after a bullet alongside a threatening letter was found at her home.
Yesterday the office President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that they referred the matter to security agencies after threats were made against Baleni. The letter was found in her letter box at home sometime this week.
“Several days ago, Ms Baleni received a threat by an unknown person or persons who seemingly want to affect the Presidency’s processing of the findings of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into allegations of state capture, corruption and fraud in the public sector including organs of state,” said presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya.
“The DG reported this matter to security agencies and she is receiving protection to enable her to continue her critical duties as DG of the Presidency, Cabinet Secretary and convenor of the Forum of South African Directors-General.”
The letter, written on an A4 page in capital letters reads: “1. Advice the justice to release suspect of Babita Deokaran no case against them. 2. Advice the president not to proceed with state capture findings.”
Deokaran, 53, a witness in the personal protection equipment scandal, died in a hail of bullets outside her home in Winchester Hills, Johannesburg in August shortly after dropping off her teenage daughter at school.
The six men charged with Deokaran’s murder are expected to appear back in court on July 22.
The letter continued to read: “We know where you drive and all your visiting points. The plan is complete but only if you consider our proposal, then the deal will be struck off.|
“The president listens to you (more) than any other person. Those two cars you always travel with, we have good plan for them. We are not scared of those soldiers that are escorting you. Something special is on for you. Any province you travel we have our eyes on the ground. Time is ticking…(sic)”
Magwenya said the government's fight against crime and corruption would not be affected by the threat made against the DG.
Baleni was appointed to the position in March last year which had previously been occupied by Cassius Lubisi who left the public service sector back in 2020.
She is the first woman to serve in this position after she had worked as a DG in the office of Gauteng Premier David Makhura from 2015.