Tembisa looting: Premier, Health MEC under fire for 'failing' to act

GAUTENG Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko have been accused of failing to take meaningful action against employees and service providers implicated in the looting of Tembisa Hospital.

In its interim report into corruption at Tembisa Hospital, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) found that officials at the Gauteng Department of Health and hospital staff abdicated their duties, allowing the looting of more than R2 billion to go unabated.

Following the preliminary SIU report released in December 2022, which confirmed R850 million in fraud and corruption, an interim update released last month revealed that the investigation has expanded to over R2 billion in looted funds. The investigation is expected to conclude in November 2027.

The investigation, initially meant to investigate expenditure at the hospital from January 2020 to September 2023, was expanded to include transactions from 2018 to 2024.

More than 15 current and former officials have been identified as having received R120 million through their involvement in the corruption schemes. This number is expected to rise as investigations continue.

The SIU said it has prepared 116 disciplinary referrals against the 13 officials, of which 108 were delivered to Gauteng Health relating to maladministration and the irregular appointment of service providers at the hospital.

During the release of the SIU report last month, Nkomo-Ralehoko said that since her appointment in October 2022, her administration has been hard at work to ensure that remedial action in relation to allegations of corruption at the hospital are fast-tracked and that governance systems and controls are strengthened.

Nkomo-Ralehoko said 11 officials were identified in the SIU report and were recommended for disciplinary action and criminal charges.

“Eventually, five Supply Chain Management employees who served as Quotation Adjudication Committee members faced various charges based on their roles.

"The main charges were gross misconduct for failure to comply with the decentralised Supply Chain Management policy of 2019 and gross misconduct which prejudices the administration, discipline, or efficiency of the department in line with the Public Finance Management Act,” she said, adding that three of the employees were found guilty of all the charges and dismissed.

The disciplinary hearings of Dr Ashley Mthunzi, who died in 2024 while Dr Lekopane Mogaladi, which is ongoing, were handled by the Office of the State Attorneys from the Gauteng Premier's office.

The officials cited for adjudication of quotations received, were Duduzile Nobugwana (administration clerk), L Mojela (director supply chain), Vuyani Chako (physiotherapist), MA Maphumulo (chief physiotherapist), NL Kobe (financial clerk), DE Monnakgotla (assistant manager nursing), Puleng Mtuze (financial clerk), Vuyikazi Mtwezi (food service manager), and Dr Radulescu (medical officer).

Nobungwana, Maphumulo, and Kobe resigned in the middle of their disciplinary hearings, while Mojela retired.

Radulescu’s contract expired in April 2023, while there was no evidence linking Mtwezi to the allegations, even though she had retired.

Chako was dismissed in December 2024 and the department is awaiting the outcome of an appeal from Mtuze, who has challenged her dismissal.

However, the DA in Gauteng expressed disappointment about the progress of the disciplinary action, saying not a single company implicated has been blacklisted, while the pension funds of those who had retired or resigned had not been frozen.

“People died due to a lack of treatment, food, and care - the direct result of corruption and neglect by Tembisa Hospital management, the GDoH, and the Gauteng Premier’s office,” said the party’s spokesperson for health in the province, Madeleine Hicklin.

She said of the 177 forensic investigations conducted in the province, 76 have been released - and most of those are heavily redacted.

“Premier Lesufi continues to shield GDoH officials, including the HOD and Health MEC, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko,” she said.

Gauteng Health, which failed to answer specific questions sent on Monday, said that blacklisting of companies will take place after the SIU issues a final report, adding that the interim report does not include the names of service providers.

Lesufi’s spokesperson, Sizwe Pamla, said the accusations were baseless and ill-informed as the premier had 'initiated the ongoing SIU investigation as part of his and the provincial government's commitment to uncovering the truth'.

“He signed a secondment agreement with SIU and also endorsed the SIU's application for a Presidential Proclamation to ensure that they can recover stolen funds and reveal the full scope of the syndicates at Tembisa Hospital,’ said Pamla who added that Lesufi will monitor the implementation of the recommendations contained in the report by ensuring that the health department submits a quarterly report to his office.

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) said not enough was done in terms of the disciplinary action against those implicated.

“Unfortunately, the senior executives at the Department of Health, as well as the MEC and the Premier are all fingered as being found wanting for their inaction in this regard. They too are thus seen as part of the problem and their inaction suggests that they have not taken this corruption seriously enough.

"The question then becomes, what do they know that caused them to “look away” for so long?”, asked Outa CEO Wayne Duvenage.

Cape Times