Late Tembisa Hospital CEO not off the hook over 'looting', says minister

HEALTH Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has not ruled out going after the estate of the late Tembisa Hospital chief executive officer, Dr Ashley Mthunzi over his alleged role in the looting of over R2 billion through irregular tenders.  

In its interim report, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) found that Mthunzi authorised appointments of non-compliant bidders, and that the purchase orders sent to the Gauteng Health Department contained irregular certificates that were never questioned by provincial employees despite having inflated prices. 

The report also identified criminal syndicates led by businessmen Vusi “Cat” Matlala, Hangwani Maumela, and Rudolph Mazibuko, with the assistance of hospital staff as having benefited from the loot. 

Mthunzi passed away after a short illness on April 24, 2024. 

Speaking to SAFM at the weekend, Motsoaledi said Mthunzi left behind a property that will be confiscated. 

“You are aware that the CEO in Tembisa who has been fingered is late, but he has an estate. So the fact that he is late does not mean that the case is over, is closed,” said Motsoaledi. 

Mthunzi’s widow, Lerato Mthunzi, the secretary general of the Health and Allied Workers Indaba Trade Union (HAITU), has previously said  her husband was a scapegoat. She  did not respond to a request for comment on  the minister’s statement.

Motsoaledi described health officials who participated in wrongdoing at the hospital as “dead meat”, as they would suffer the same consequences as Maumela, who is President Cyril Ramaphosa’s nephew from a previous marriage.

The SIU pounced on Maumela’s state-of-the-art house in Sandton early this month and confiscated expensive property, including three Lamborghinis. 

Motsoaledi said the hospital mid-level manager who was mentioned in the SIU report as having benefited R30 million from the syndicate's dealings would face the full might of the SIU. 

“What has he done with that money? Obviously, he has bought a house and cars. All those things, the SIU will have to legally retrieve.

“What you have seen last week by the SIU confiscating properties of Maumela is going to happen to all these government officials, as the SIU is going to look at their properties. 

“I can clearly tell you that what you have seen happening to Maumela is just the tip of an iceberg; it is just the beginning,” he said.

When asked why former Gauteng Provincial Health Department chief financial officer, Lerato Madyo, was allowed to resign while facing allegations of not acting on the report submitted by murdered whistle-blower Babita Deokaran, on possible fraudulent transactions at Tembisa Hospital, Motsoaledi said the government does not have a policy that stops its employees from resigning while facing allegations.

However, he stated that Madyo would still be held criminally accountable.

Motsoaledi said the National Health Council met with health MECs, the SA Military Health Services, and metros, as they are running health clinics, and had discussed the issue of corruption in the health sector. 

He added that CEOs of all major hospitals have been invited to a workshop where the SIU will educate them, step-by-step, on the methods employed by health officials collaborating with syndicates and cartels, to prevent such activities.

Cape Times