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Freedom Under Law notes with deep concern reports of the assassination attempt on SARS advocate, Ms Coreth Naude in Durban yesterday.  It is yet another brutal and chilling reminder of the dangerous elements within our society who would use violence to silence truth.

Ms Naude was involved in several high profile SARS tax inquiries. The brazen attempt on her life raises serious concerns about the possibility of the killing being an assassination linked to matters investigated by her. Such killings are sadly not unique. There have been others, notably; the assassination of BOSASA liquidators, Thomas and Cloete Murray, the murder of Anti-Gang Unit police officer Charl Kinnear, who was investigating cases involving organised crime and the murder of Gauteng Department of Health whistle-blower Babita Deokaran, who was killed after flagging a series of suspicious and potentially fraudulent transactions. In addition, forensic investigator Zenzele Sithole was shot dead in Johannesburg last week.

These events, apart from causing unspeakable pain to the families of the victims, raise fundamental concerns that those who threaten to expose corruption are themselves at risk of assassination. They point to murder being used as a tool to delay, distort, and pervert the course of the law. This situation is untenable.

The attempted assassination of Ms Naude has a potentially chilling effect on key role players in the justice system, who should be able to do their jobs unhindered.

Freedom Under Law wishes Ms Naude a full and speedy recovery from this horrific attempt on her life and calls on law enforcement agencies to ensure that those responsible for the killing are speedily brought to justice. In a functional democracy, judges, lawyers, prosecutors, investigators and all responsible for law enforcement must be able to do their jobs without fear of losing their lives.

Issued by Freedom Under Law