The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has confirmed that unlawfully obtained contracts at the Tembisa Tertiary Hospital will be cancelled following the discovery of more than 111 officials implicated in four corruption syndicates.

SIU head Advocate Andy Mothibi said there were disciplinary processes currently underway where several syndicates linked to the corruption at the hospital have been uncovered by its probe.

The probe follows the murder of whistleblower and employee of the Gauteng Health Department, Babita Deokaran, in August 2021. Mothibi added that assets worth billions will be seized and recovered in the process.

“Our investigation has uncovered more than 111 officials who have been colluding with these syndicates. There might still be more. We have sent all these to the Department of Health. We expect that action will be taken and in some instances, the department has taken action, and we are pleased about that,” he said.

Mothibi said corruption at the hospital amounts to billions of Rands, which were siphoned off from the unlawful contracts, prompting President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2023 to sign Proclamation 136 of 2023, authorising the SIU to investigate corruption at Tembisa Hospital.

This proclamation has allowed the SIU freedom to delve deeper into allegations of corruption and maladministration in the affairs of the hospital and possible fraud and corruption related to the Supply Chain Management.

“We are talking billions of rands that have been stolen. We are going to make sure that we recover and ensure that all those assets that have been obtained corruptly are seized and returned to the state, and the money is used for a good cause and public interest,” he said.

According to the investigation, fraudulent suppliers and/or service providers were said to be conducting business with the hospital, where possible fraudulent payments were made to those service providers.

It is further alleged that there were numerous irregularities in respect of the bid documents by successful and unsuccessful bidders at the hospital, which should have led to the disqualification of the bidders where service providers were appointed irregularly.

This caused the Department of Health and Wellness at the hospital to suffer irregular expenditure.

The proclamation covered allegations of unlawful and improper conduct that took place between 1 January 2020 and 1 September 2023.

Meanwhile, SAFTU’s Secretary-General Zwelinzima Vavi has urged the SIU to expose and prosecute the masterminds behind Deokaran’s killing.

“As we remembered Babita Deokaran, we heard chilling testimonies of activists. Thato Moncho, a brave woman from the Cancer Alliance, told us how people in poor and rural areas only get diagnosed at Stage 4 — when it’s too late — because there are no MRI scans for early detection. This is a crisis of neglect, corruption, and a hollowed-out state. We must support the Cancer Alliance and fight for a health system that cares,” Vavi stated.

This past Saturday marked four years since Deokaran’s death in August 2021 – she was gunned down for exposing tender corruption at Tembisa Hospital.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

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