The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) said its Thursday raid and attachment of assets at a luxury property in Sandton belonging Hangwani Maumela was linked to implementing its recommendations contained in its recently released interim report into the R2 billion corruption at Thembisa Hospital.  

Among the items seized were three Lamborghinis, a massage parlour and expensive artwork. 

This raid follows an explosive report by the SIU, which revealed that over R2-billion was looted through fraudulent procurement deals at the Tembisa Hospital.

Maumela and two other businessmen, Vusimuzi Matlala, Rudolph Mazibuko were among those named by the SIU as having benefitted through various irregular tenders at the hospital. 

Maumela, is President Cyril Ramaphosa’s nephew from a previous marriage.

In August, the Assets Forfeiture Unit raided Maumela and Mazibuko’s properties valued at approximately R326 million and R47 million, respectively.

Gauteng Department of Health’s chief accounting officer Babita Deokaran was assassinated on August 23, 2021, after exposing the corruption at Thembisa Hospital.

Accountability Now director Paul Hoffman, and Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) chief executive officer Wayne Duvenage welcomed the SIU raids, saying that the looting at Thembisa Hospital had had a damaging affect on healthcare in Gauteng. 

Hoffman said the SIU was acting in the matter.

“The SIU, which is not part of the criminal justice administration, goes there with a mandate to get back the money as their job is to seize and freeze the proceeds of crime,” said Hoffman. 

Hoffman said there were always concerns that those behind the looting have political protection. 

“Maumela is the nephew of President Ramaphosa. So those guys (feel they) are completely above the law (but they must be held accountable) for their wrongdoing,” said Hoffman. 

Duvenage said it those who were responsible for the looting at Thembisa Hospital said those who were responsible, should have been held to account a long time ago. 

“But it’s better late than never, but it goes beyond this, as we need the NPA to charge and we need (people) to be behind bars.

DA member of the Police Portfolio Committee in the National Assembly, Dr Karl Willem du Pré le Roux, said any action to combat corruption is welcomed. 

“Now that the SIU report has been published, there seems to be a real determination for people to be held accountable.

“But there is still a lot to be done, and ultimately, people need to be prosecuted,” said le Roux. 

SIU spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago did not respond to a request for comment.  

bongani.hans@inl.co.za 

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