Tembisa Hospital: Shortage of food and medicine for patients, linked to R2 billion looting scandal

Tembisa Hospital's patients are paying the price for a R2 billion looting spree carried out at the facility over six years, with shortages of food, medication and even basic supplies like toilet paper.

Sources said the health facility, which a recent Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report exposed for massive corruption involving syndicates made up of service providers and hospital officials, relies on other hospitals in the Gauteng province for food and medicine. 

The SIU investigation found that syndicates looted over R2bn through fraudulent tenders and corrupt schemes. 

Sources said that the situation is dire, with staff having to deal with the shortage of food and medicine on a daily basis at the hospital. 

“The situation here is bad, and the management is quiet about it. We are asking for and borrowing food and medicine from other hospitals; this shows how bad things are. We are shocked because management has not addressed this issue... no one is saying anything,” said a staff member who requested anonymity as he is not allowed to speak to the media. 

Another source independently confirmed the claims, adding that nurses are forced to improvise to make patients' lives bearable. 

The Gauteng Department of Health said this is a common practice across he public health system.

“Inter-facility borrowing is a common practice across the public health system. Hospitals and clinics occasionally lend food and medication to one another to ensure uninterrupted service delivery to patients,” the department said.

Cosatu confirmed the challenges at the hospital with regards to food and medication, saying they witnessed the reality of the conditions at the hospital during their visit to the facility on International Day for Decent Work on October 7. 

The union’s spokesperson Zanele Sabela said doctors and nurses take care of patients despite a dire shortage of equipment at the hospital. 

“It is a travesty. We were even told that there was no toilet paper in one of the toilets. Our members have to try their best because (for many of the patients) this is life and death,” she said. 

The SIU investigation found that funds intended for medical supplies and services were siphoned off through a complex web of procurement fraud, with the syndicates bypassing tender processes with falsified documents to purchase overpriced items. 

The SIU also identified that the syndicates kept the value of purchase orders below R500,000 which is the threshold for formal tenders. This enabled syndicates to use a less-stringent three-quote system for procurement, which was easier to manipulate.

The investigation found that this was intentionally abused to circumvent the tender process and to keep the authorisation level as low as possible. 

The report also states that suppliers were not sourced from the central supplier database (CSD) and the required commodity list. Instead of using the official CSD, the hospital allegedly used a non-compliant process that included no evidence of fair rotation among service providers, suggesting potential collusion or fronting. The SIU also identified significant non-compliance with procurement terms.

The SIU probe began in 2022 with a focus on transactions from January 2018 to September 2023. However, the scope has since been expanded to cover all transactions from 2018 to 2024, to trace the full extent of the fraud. 

The investigation was launched following a report by whistle-blower Babita Deokaran, who was assassinated after exposing financial irregularities at the hospital in 2021. 

In her report, Deokaran identified suspicious payments to over 200 companies, totalling around R850 million; however, the amounts identified by the SIU investigation now exceed R2bn.

Sabela added that problems at the hospital have gone on for years, highlighting the tragedy of patient Shonisani Lethole, who died from starvation at the hospital after being admitted with Covid-19 symptoms in June 2020. 

An investigation by the South African Health Ombudsman found that Lethole had not been fed during two separate periods while at the hospital, totaling more than 100 hours. This included a period of 57 hours and 30 minutes after he was sedated and intubated, during which a nasogastric tube was never inserted.

The report concluded that the neglect contributed to Lethole's 'preventable and avoidable death'.

Following the ombud's report in January 2021, the hospital's CEO, Dr. Lekopane Mogaladi, was suspended.

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) said it was not surprised by these claims, adding that they are a direct result of a combination of mismanagement, a shortage of funds, system inefficiencies and staff issues. 

The organisation’s CEO Wayne Duvenage said Premier Panyaza Lesufi should employ and instruct strong, capable leadership that will adopt an attitude of cleaning up the department to deal with the situation.

Duvenage said that Lesufi should conduct audits and instill a new culture of service delivery, coupled with good governance and strong hospital managers that will be the gatekeepers against political meddling. 

“Until we have a change in political leadership in Gauteng, the health system in this province will remain compromised,” he said.

Jack Bloom, the DA’s shadow minister for health, said Tembisa Hospital suffers from poorly managed provincial contracts for food and medicine, adding it is distressing that the Gauteng Health Department continues to neglect the hospital. 

“They should fill vacant posts urgently, ensure adequate machinery and expedite the repair of the fire-damaged sections.” 

As part of its investigation into the Tembisa Hospital scandal, the SIU has prepared 116 disciplinary referrals against 13 officials. 

At least 15 current and former officials, from clerks to management, have been identified as participating in the fraudulent activities. The SIU has indicated the number could rise as the investigation proceeds.

Earlier this month, the SIU and the National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) secured a preservation order and seized assets worth R325 million, including luxury cars, houses, and a boat.

The SIU identified Hangwani Maumela as the leader of one of three syndicates believed to have siphoned over R2 billion in public funds intended for hospital services.

Maumela's syndicate allegedly used 41 companies to route fraudulent transactions, manipulate procurement processes, and submit fake documents to secure irregular contracts.

manyane.manyane@inl.co.za