Johannesburg - The Department of Health in Gauteng has still not found evidence against suspended Thembisa Hospital chief executive Ashley Mthunzi following his two-month suspension “to allow further investigation”.
It is believed that Mthunzi was the “fall guy” for the province’s previous leadership who had “interests” at the hospital. Since Mthunzi’s suspension, a myriad instances of corruption which took place before his tenure have come to light.
In October, former Tembisa Hospital employee Lindiwe “Dabs” Nkosi submitted an affidavit to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) pointing out a new trail of corruption at the hospital.
The Star has seen an affidavit penned by Nkosi on October 5, 2020 wherein she says tenders were given to an ANC Free State provincial executive committee member in 2020, a Mpumalanga multimillionaire also in 2020 and Hangwani Morgan Maumela, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s nephew.
Maumela, who lives a stone’s throw away from Ramaphosa’s home, has mansions across the country and a string of luxury cars.
Nkosi sought to clear suspended hospital chief executive Ashley Mthunzi, saying the widespread “political tenders” were dished out as from 2019 and were maximised in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic hit South Africa.
Mthunzi took office in 2021, to find an epoch of “tenders for friends” at the hospital.
According to Nkosi, after only a few months in the job, Mthunzi voiced concerns about the red flags in procurement after a litany of tenders where given to the same companies. This also happened because the transactions were under R500 000, which didn’t need the signing off of the chief executive and chief financial officer.
Maumela is accused of using multiple companies to tender for work of under R500 000 so that his large tender acquisitions went unnoticed.
The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAPHRA) says it is investigating the Tembisa Hospital's alleged irregular procurement of health products.
In a statement, SAHPRA said it had taken note of allegations of corruption in the procurement of medical consumables, in breach of the Medicines and Related Substances Act (Act 101 of 1965, as amended). SAPHRA chief executive Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela said the hospital management was co-operating with SAPHRA officials.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, previously distanced the president from Maumela, whose company was reportedly paid R36m in one month by the Tembisa Hospital, while the legislature reply shows the actual amount from Gauteng hospitals to be R381m.
The Star
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