The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) today conducted a high-profile raid on a luxury property linked to businessman Hangwani Morgan Maumela, the alleged kingpin behind the multibillion-rand corruption scandal at Tembisa Hospital. The swoop, which took place in Sandton, marks one of the most significant moves yet in the ongoing investigation into the hospital tender syndicate that has rocked South Africa’s public health sector.
SIU investigators, supported by members of the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), seized luxury cars, art pieces, furniture, and several documents believed to contain critical evidence of large-scale fraud and money laundering. The items were confiscated from Maumela’s mansion and other linked properties across Gauteng.
“The SIU confirms an operation took place at a Sandhurst home linked to our Tembisa Hospital investigation. This operation is part of implementing the SIU’s investigation outcomes and consequence management. We will communicate further once the legal processes have been finalised,” said Ngwako Motsieng, Senior Communications Manager at the SIU.
R2 billion uncovered in hospital corruption ring
In an interim report released alongside the raid, the SIU revealed it has uncovered corruption and maladministration worth more than R2 billion linked to Tembisa Hospital’s procurement processes. The investigation has so far identified three coordinated syndicates that siphoned off public funds meant for healthcare delivery, exposing what investigators described as an “industrial-scale looting scheme.”
An analysis of over 2,200 procurement bundles and 4,501 purchase orders showed widespread fraud, inflated prices, and the use of front companies. The SIU report detailed how service providers were irregularly appointed using split orders to evade competitive bidding processes, with the complicity of senior Gauteng Department of Health officials.
At least 15 current and former officials have been implicated, including procurement officers and hospital managers who allegedly facilitated the payments in exchange for kickbacks.
Maumela’s empire under siege
Maumela, who is accused of being a central figure in the Tembisa Hospital network, has been at the centre of corruption allegations since 2022, when the murder of whistle-blower Babita Deokaran exposed irregular payments from the hospital’s accounts.
In September this year, the AFU confiscated around R400 million in assets belonging to Maumela and his associates – including four Lamborghinis, a Bentley, luxury homes, and a yacht. Today’s raid adds to the growing pressure on Maumela, who has so far maintained his innocence and has not yet been criminally charged.
Media reports have linked Maumela to President Cyril Ramaphosa as a possible relative, though this has not been officially confirmed by either the Presidency or the SIU.
GIWUSA hails raid as “victory for justice”
The General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) has welcomed the SIU’s latest move, calling it a “victory for justice” and a “warning to South Africa’s corrupt elite.”
In a strongly worded statement, GIWUSA President Mametlwe Sebei said the seizure represents “a critical move to reclaim public funds stolen from the working class and the poor.”
“The SIU’s interim report reveals a devastating truth: over R2 billion intended for healthcare at Tembisa Hospital was systematically siphoned off through coordinated syndicates. This is not just corruption; it is a betrayal of the people’s trust,” Sebei said.
He added that the Tembisa Hospital scandal was a direct affront to ordinary South Africans who depend on public healthcare:
“The looting of Tembisa Hospital is a direct attack on the most vulnerable. While children die in overcrowded wards, some individuals amass obscene wealth. This is blood money — stolen from the sick and the poor.”
The union demanded urgent prosecutions of all implicated individuals, including Maumela and his network of 207 service providers, as well as disciplinary action against the 13 officials for whom the SIU has already prepared referrals.
Sebei also called for a forensic audit of all 37 Gauteng hospitals, the freezing of corrupt officials’ pensions, and the introduction of stronger whistle-blower protections in memory of Babita Deokaran, who was murdered after flagging the irregularities now under investigation.
Mkhwanazi: “Those I named are being arrested”
Meanwhile, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who previously testified before both the Madlanga Commission and Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee, said today’s developments confirm that law enforcement agencies are acting on critical evidence.
“People I mentioned during my briefings and testimony at the Madlanga Commission and Ad Hoc Committee are now being arrested. This shows the system is beginning to work,” said Mkhwanazi at the Ad Hoc.
Mkhwanazi has been outspoken about deep-rooted corruption within the police and public sector, naming several officials and business figures allegedly involved in state capture-like networks tied to procurement fraud and political interference.
“The clean-up will not be easy, and it will not be without resistance. But we must ensure that those who have enriched themselves at the expense of South Africans face justice. No one is above the law,” he said.
His remarks come amid speculation that several senior officials connected to the Tembisa Hospital and other Gauteng tenders may face imminent arrests following weeks of coordinated investigations by the SIU, the Hawks, and the NPA’s Investigating Directorate.
Wider implications
The SIU’s probe extends far beyond Tembisa Hospital. Officials have confirmed that similar procurement fraud patterns are being investigated at multiple health facilities and even other government departments.
“Our working relationship with the Minister of Health has enabled us to uncover wrongdoing in other investigations, such as those involving Home Affairs and medico-legal claims,” the SIU report noted.
The Unit added that the findings from Tembisa Hospital would serve as a test case for tackling systemic corruption across provincial departments, where lax oversight and political interference have long enabled tender manipulation.
A turning point for accountability
Today’s raid, coupled with the R2 billion revelations, marks one of the strongest anti-corruption actions since the Zondo Commission concluded its hearings on state capture. Analysts believe it could signal a new phase of consequence management in South Africa’s ongoing battle against public sector graft.
“This raid is not just about Maumela — it’s about the broader network of political protection that allowed this level of corruption to thrive. If the SIU and NPA continue without interference, we could see a domino effect implicating high-level players,” said the analyst
As the investigation deepens, all eyes will be on whether the NPA moves swiftly to press criminal charges against Maumela and his alleged accomplices. For now, the SIU says it will continue tracing assets and following the money trail to ensure every cent stolen from Tembisa Hospital is recovered.
