Premier, Health MEC under fire for 'failing' to act

GAUTENG Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko have been accused of failing to take meaningful action against employees and service providers implicated in the looting of Tembisa Hospital.

- MAYIBONGWE MAGHINA

THE Special Investigating Unit has found that some officials should have been held accountable for the looting of more than R2 billion from Tembisa Hospital.

(ITUMELENG ENGLISH Independent Newspapers)

In its interim report into corruption at Tembisa Hospital, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) found that officials at the Gauteng Department of Health and hospital staff abdicated their duties, allowing the looting of more than R2 billion to go unabated.

Following the preliminary SIU report released in December 2022, which confirmed R850 million in fraud and corruption, an interim update released last month revealed that the investigation has expanded to over R2 billion in looted funds. The investigation is expected to conclude in November 2027.

The investigation, initially meant to investigate expenditure at the hospital from January 2020 to September 2023, was expanded to include transactions from 2018 to 2024.

More than 15 current and former officials have been identified as having received R120 million through their involvement in the corruption schemes. This number is expected to rise as investigations continue.

The SIU said it has prepared 116 disciplinary referrals against the 13 officials, of which 108 were delivered to Gauteng Health relating to maladministration and the irregular appointment of service providers at the hospital.

During the release of the SIU report last month, Nkomo-Ralehoko said that since her appointment in October 2022, her administration has been hard at work to ensure that remedial action in relation to allegations of corruption at the hospi-