On Monday, September 29, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), an independent Agency of the South African Government, revealed a “devastating plunder” of over 2 billion rands (approximately 116 million U.S. dollars) from Tembisa Hospital, one of Gauteng province’s largest health facilities. According to an interim report, at least three Syndicates were involved in the looting, with senior hospital officials and service providers implicated in a complex network of fraud and corruption.
SIU head advocate Andy Mothibi described the theft as a betrayal of public trust, highlighting how funds meant for healthcare were siphoned off through fraudulent schemes.
Kaizer Kganyago, spokesperson for the SIU, stated that key officials from the Gauteng Department of Health (GDOH) and Tembisa Hospital benefitted from irregular payments that enabled fraudulent procurement processes.
The report identified at least 15 current and former officials engaged in corruption, money laundering, collusion, and bid rigging with improperly appointed service providers. To date, the SIU has issued 116 disciplinary referrals against 13 officials, with 108 already submitted to the GDOH for maladministration and irregular procurement at the hospital.