The majority of officials involved in the R2 billion corruption scandal at Tembisa Hospital have resigned, but only 11 have been disciplined. “We have recommended disciplinary processes and we have laid criminal charges. Some officials are still under investigation," said Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko. She was speaking during a media briefing by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).

The SIU report revealed that over R2 billion was looted at Tembisa Hospital, with three companies allegedly linked to Vusi "Cat" Matlala and 41 others said to be linked to Morgan Maumela being implicated. Before she was assassinated in 2021, Babita Doekaran discovered some of the activities and reported on suspicious payments totaling R850 million. "Some of the officials have run away. "We have taken action against 11 officials whom the SIU has identified," Nkomo-Ralehoko stated. "The majority of them have resigned." According to Nkomo-Ralehoko, since she assumed office, they have dealt with tender corruption and tightened supply chain system controls.

She went on to say, "When I arrived there in October 2022, we tightened controls as the Department of Health, especially with supply chain processes, which are in line with the legislation and regulatory framework to ensure that we mitigate against corruption, irregular expenditure, and maladministration while fostering accountability." "We tightened controls as the Department of Health," she said. Advocate Andy Mothibi, head of the SUI, said, along with Minister of Health Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, and Nkomo-Ralehoko, that more consequence management is needed to get rid of corruption completely.

Mothibi indicated that when the investigation started following an instruction by the Gauteng Premier's office in 2022, around R850 million was believed to have vanished, with some of the officials pocketing up to R30 million. "An additional received R1.3 million. Management of consequences is the primary focus. It cannot be business as usual. We need to backlist these directors as well as recover losses and blacklist these companies that have been fronting, as well as hold their directors accountable. Consequence management must be ensured by regulators, and we want it throughout the system. "This enduring impunity must be addressed," Mothibi stated. Mothibi revealed that the syndicates were so ruthless that even unsuccessful bidders profited from the systemic corruption that ruled the tender process for Tembisa Hospital.

The investigation reveals a pattern of corruption committed by officials and service providers, seriously jeopardizing the intended use of the funds. These syndicates used shelf companies, and sometimes even losing companies were paid through these shelf companies." He said a former senior official at Tembisa Hospital had authorised the appointment of non-compliant bidders. "This was obvious, and the frequent approvals of requests for quotations raised concerns about the absence of oversight from the previous CEO's office. Tembisa Hospital SCM officials requested purchase orders for these non-compliant bidders from the Gauteng Department of Health, yet no concerns were raised regarding the unusually high number of POs (purchase orders) processed,” said Mothibi.