Suspended Tembisa Hospital CEO tries a comeback

28 October 2022

Suspended Tembisa Hospital CEO Ashley Mthunzi tried to make a comeback this week when he arrived at Tembisa Hospital on Wednesday.

He claimed he was the CEO as 60 days had elapsed since he was placed on precautionary suspension following the outcry about R850 million hospital payments that murdered whistleblower Babita Deokaran identified as “possibly fraudulent”.

While disciplinary charges are supposed to happen within 60 days, a return to work is not automatic when extensive investigation is required. 

I have been informed that Mthunzi was arrogant and threatened certain staff at Tembisa Hospital.

Fortunately, the head office intervened and he was ordered away from the hospital yesterday.

I suspect that Mthunzi has high-level political connections he was counting on to retain his position at Tembisa Hospital.

We know that Mr Sello Sekhokho, the ANC Ekurhuleni Treasurer-General, scored 55 contracts worth R14.5 million from Tembisa Hospital in the last three years.

The SIU investigation needs to be speeded up and should find out whether Mthunzi has links to senior ANC officials who benefited from hospital contracts. 

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 28 October 2022