DA challenges Gauteng Premier on slow action against Tembisa Hospital corruption

7 August 2023

Tomorrow (Tuesday 8 August), the Democratic Alliance (DA) will challenge Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi on why 10 staff members at the Tembisa Hospital are still working despite the SIU recommending they be disciplined over irregular contracts to fraudulent companies.

The slow progress on this matter has been outrageous, as whistleblower Babita Deokaran was murdered shortly after requesting that “possible corrupt” payments be halted at this hospital.

I will be asking Lesufi during the Premier’s Question Time why the Acting Head of the Gauteng Health Department did not act swiftly to put the implicated officials on precautionary suspension, as happened with the Department’s Chief Financial Officer and the Tembisa Hospital CEO.

Furthermore, why was the Gauteng Treasury given the task of initiating discipline in this matter instead of the Gauteng Health Department, and why was the Premier’s Office not involved in speeding this up?

The nine officials still at Tembisa Hospital include the Deputy Director: Supply Chain, two Financial clerks, an Admin clerk, a Food Service Manager, Assistant Manager Nursing, Chief Physiotherapist and Physiotherapist, and a Medical Officer.

There should have been no delays in disciplining them as the evidence is readily available in the SIU report which the Premier released in December last year.

I hope Lesufi gives a clear undertaking that all the SIU recommendations are speedily implemented, otherwise it looks like foot-dragging to protect certain ANC politicians who benefit from the massive corruption at Tembisa Hospital.

Note: the sitting on Tuesday starts at 10am and the Premier’s Question Period is the first item after announcements and notices without notice. Proceedings can be watched on YouTube or at the Legislature.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, 7 August 2023