SIU: Number of Gauteng Health officials implicated in Tembisa Hospital looting likely to rise

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) said that the number of Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) officials implicated in the looting of Tembisa Hospital tenders is likely to grow as investigations continue.

At least 15 officials have been identified so far, for allegedly facilitating the irregular awarding of contracts to dubious companies.

On Thursday, Tembisa Hospital employee Zacharia Tshisele was arrested for allegedly receiving kickbacks from service providers between 2020 and 2023.

The SIU has since recovered more than R13 million from Tshisele, but said this amount is only a portion of the kickbacks he is believed to have received.

The SIU has found that the total value of corrupt payments linked to officials and employees atthe DGoH and the Tembisa Hospital amounts to more than R122 million.

The officials are said to have been involved in activities such as corruption, money laundering, collusion and rigging bids for tenders linked to the medical facility.

SIU spokesperson Kaiser Kganyago said the investigation is ongoing, and the unit expects to uncover more officials who played a role in the looting of hospital contracts.

“We want to call upon the other remaining officials to bring back the ill-gotten gains that they have received.”

He said the implicated officials are not only those in top management, but entry-level clerks as well.