'Urgent arrests, not prayers will address corruption at Tembisa Hospital'

THE national day of prayer event, which was meant to be held at the Tembisa Hospital yesterday, would have never resolved the corruption that contributed to the death of young businessman Shonisani Lethole, says his mother Patricia.

- SIYABONGA SITHOLE

The event with a poster with the face of Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, has since been ‘postponed’ after some social media users slammed it as insensitive.

It was organised in light of the the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) report which revealed that over R2 billion was looted from the hospital between 2018 to 2022.

Shonisani died after being starved for over 100 hours at Tembisa Hospital in 2021.

Lethole slammed the prayer day initiative, saying no matter how badly prayer is needed, it would never resolve the corruption that contributed to Shonisani’s death.

“What use is prayer when people have suffered due to corruption. I was not aware of this prayer meeting, and to think that it was arranged by leaders leaves much to be desired.