The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has renewed its call for a sweeping forensic investigation into tender fraud and corruption across all provincial hospitals, following revelations of large-scale looting at Tembisa Hospital.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has already uncovered irregular contracts at Tembisa amounting to more than R2 billion an episode that has intensified scrutiny of the province’s broader health procurement systems.
DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga said the public has witnessed “only a fraction” of the alleged corruption.
“We are calling for a full forensic investigation, not only at Tembisa, but at hospitals such as Charlotte Maxeke and Kalafong. We need to know how many individuals have benefited from the suffering and deaths of people in Gauteng, and how many officials have been held accountable. Babita Deokaran cannot have died in vain,” Msimanga said.
Meanwhile, Hawks Sergeant Papie Tsie and Tembisa Hospital official Zacharia Chisele have been granted R5 000 bail each by the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court. They face corruption charges after allegedly attempting to bribe a Hawks officer involved in the ongoing investigation.
The pair were arrested last week moments after handing over a R100 000 bribe to the investigator, who had set up the operation to catch them in the act.
The case has been postponed to 27 February next year as investigations continue.