The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has obtained an interim preservation order to freeze assets worth about R900 million linked to one of the alleged syndicates that benefited from irregular contracts at Tembisa Hospital.
On Thursday, 9 October 2025, the SIU and a Curator appointed by the Special Tribunal, supported by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and Johannesburg Metro Police, launched the first phase of the operation to secure assets connected to the hospital scandal.
The coordinated operation took place in Sandhurst, Sandton, and Emalahleni, Mpumalanga, resulting in the seizure of assets worth approximately R133.5 million on the first day. The order was issued by Special Tribunal President, Justice Lebogang Victor, on 29 September and expanded on 7 October 2025.
According to the SIU, the operation is part of its ongoing investigation into corruption and maladministration at Tembisa Hospital, which has been under scrutiny for years over suspicious tenders and payments to shell companies.
In Sandhurst, the SIU secured a luxury property valued at R70 million, three Lamborghinis worth R25 million, household contents estimated at R3 million, and security equipment valued at R500,000.
In Emalahleni, investigators found two Aston Martins, one Ferrari, and one Rolls-Royce at a luxury car dealership. The dealership later agreed to hand over surety of two unbonded properties valued at about R35 million in exchange for the vehicles remaining on site.
The SIU said the preservation order covers all assets belonging to individuals and companies suspected to be part of the corruption network — including bank accounts, shares, cryptocurrency, and business interests.
The Tribunal’s order compels all implicated individuals and companies to declare their full list of assets to the SIU and the Curator. Failure to do so could lead to contempt of court proceedings.
The order also ensures coordination between the SIU, the South African Revenue Service (SARS), and the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU). If any respondent successfully contests a forfeiture process led by SARS or AFU, the affected assets will still remain frozen under the SIU’s preservation order.
SIU Head Advocate Andy Mothibi said the operation was a significant step in recovering public funds stolen from the state.
“The orders are a critical step in our commitment to claw back every cent that was stolen from the public purse, specifically Tembisa Hospital,” said Mothibi. “This is not merely a preservation but a proactive, intensive effort to trace, secure, and ultimately recover assets that we allege are the proceeds of corruption.”
The preserved assets will remain under the control of the Curator until the conclusion of civil recovery proceedings. The SIU plans to file up to 41 recovery cases within 60 court days, after which the preserved assets may be forfeited to the state.
The Tembisa Hospital scandal is part of the Gauteng Department of Health corruption probe, launched under Proclamation No. 136 of 2023, which empowers the SIU to investigate maladministration and fraud at the hospital.
The investigation followed revelations in 2022 that whistleblower Babita Deokaran had flagged suspicious payments of more than R850 million to a network of irregular suppliers before she was assassinated. Her murder drew national outrage and triggered renewed calls for accountability in the health sector.
The SIU has since uncovered a complex web of fraudulent tenders, inflated invoices, and front companies supplying goods and services at vastly exaggerated prices — from cleaning materials to food contracts.
Officials implicated in the scheme have been referred to the Gauteng Department of Health for disciplinary action. The service providers involved will be blacklisted from future government tenders, while evidence of criminal conduct has been handed to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for possible prosecution.
The SIU said the asset preservation operation will continue across several provinces as investigators trace additional properties, vehicles, and accounts linked to the network.
The unit emphasised that all preserved assets will remain under state control until the final determination of the civil and criminal proceedings.
“This operation demonstrates that corruption will not pay,” Mothibi said. “Those who enriched themselves through public health funds will be held accountable.”
The SIU has vowed to intensify efforts to recover stolen public funds and restore confidence in public healthcare institutions.
