The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has signalled a determined push to bring those implicated in alleged corruption at Tembisa Hospital to account, saying investigators will pursue the matter "decisively" and "leave no stone unturned". The assurance came as members of Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) pressed for clarity about asset seizures linked to the probe.
High court orders and motor-vehicle seizures
National Director of Public Prosecutions Andy Mothibi told SCOPA that the matter involving businessman Hangwani Maumela remains under active investigation. The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and other agencies have already obtained court relief and executed seizures connected to alleged irregularities involving the Gauteng Department of Health and contracts at Tembisa Hospital.
"We are dealing with it decisively. We are leaving no stone unturned. So, we want to make sure we leave nothing to chance,"
Mothibi said the NPA is conscious of the harm caused to vulnerable patients and communities when public-health funds are siphoned off, adding that law‑enforcement agencies are working to convert asset recovery into successful prosecutions.
- High Court forfeiture: an order was granted to seize assets linked to the Maumela syndicate amounting to more than R326 million.
- SIU actions: investigators executed raids at a dealership and seized a luxury vehicle — a Bentley reported to be valued at around R3 million — which has been linked to the Tembisa Hospital tender probe.
- Criminal investigation: the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) is conducting investigative work in the Maumela matter, the NDPP said.
The SIU has previously uncovered alleged fraudulent activity between Maumela and the Gauteng Department of Health amounting to about R800 million, Mothibi said from his prior tenure at the unit. Those findings formed part of a growing body of evidence cited as the basis for both civil forfeiture and criminal enquiries.
| Action | Detail |
|---|---|
| High Court forfeiture | Order to seize assets worth R326 million |
| SIU seizure | Luxury vehicle (Bentley) seized; reported value around R3 million |
| Investigative finding | Alleged fraudulent dealings of approximately R800 million between Maumela and Gauteng Health (SIU) |
Parliamentary pressure and concerns over whistleblower safety
Democratic Alliance MP Patrick Atkinson, who sits on SCOPA, pressed officials on progress and raised alarming claims that whistleblowers linked to this and similar exposés had been killed. Mothibi acknowledged the gravity of those allegations and reiterated the importance of protecting witnesses while investigators follow financial trails that can lead to both assets and culpable persons.
While the NPA and SIU have achieved asset seizures and court orders, the NDPP told the committee that investigations remain ongoing and that further steps are required to convert recoveries into criminal convictions. He also pointed to progress made in wider State‑capture matters since the creation of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), while cautioning that more work is needed to secure arrests and final convictions in complex corruption files.
For Tembisa residents, the unfolding legal process will be watched closely. The alleged diversion of funds earmarked for health services has direct consequences for patients and staff at the hospital. Asset recovery and forfeiture deliver a measure of redress, but the NDPP’s remarks underline that the ultimate test will be successful prosecutions that hold individuals to account and deter future abuse of public resources.
Authorities involved in the various strands of the probe — the NPA, SIU and the Hawks — say they will continue to coordinate. SCOPA’s scrutiny ensures the parliamentary oversight process remains engaged as the legal and investigative processes move forward.
