How will Ramaphosa deal with Tembisa Hospital report implicating ‘kingpin’ nephew?

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has found that the alleged kingpin of the Maumela Syndicate, Hangwani Morgan Maumela, is linked to R816.5 million in irregular transactions from the Tembisa Hospital scandal, detailed in a progress report submitted to President Cyril Ramaphosa on 26 September 2025.

The comprehensive investigation revealed that Maumela’s operation was one of three major criminal networks responsible for looting over R2 billion intended for the provision of essential Gauteng healthcare services.

The staggering findings by the SIU, which released its interim report on 29 September 2025, highlight how Maumela – a nephew of Ramaphosa from the president’s previous marriage – alongside others, ruthlessly siphoned public funds through extensive fraud, corruption, money laundering, bid rigging, and racketeering.

The SIU investigation was initiated following a proclamation resulting from a 2021 report authored by the late whistle-blower Babita Deokaran, who had raised critical red flags regarding the excessive expenditure at the Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital. She was later killed by a hail of bullets.

Maumela Syndicate: Fuelling a Lavish Lifestyle

The Maumela Syndicate alone is currently under investigation for transactions linked to 1,728 procurement bundles, with the total value under review soaring to R816,560,710. The SIU has completed the analysis of 924 of these bundles, consistently identifying countless irregularities and blatant fraud.

This highly sophisticated network utilised numerous secondary conduit accounts to launder funds from service providers trading with the Tembisa Hospital to enrich the ultimate beneficiary.

The SIU report paints a worrying picture of lavish lifestyles funded by compromised healthcare budgets, noting that Tembisa Hospital funds contributed directly to the acquisition of phenomenal assets by the syndicate.

Two weeks ago, the SIU successfully assisted the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA’s) Asset Forfeiture Unit in preserving some of these assets.

Hangwani Morgan Maumela’s Identified Assets (Approx. R520 million)

• Properties (combined value R293,434,000):
  • Properties in Port Zimbali.
  • A property in Bantry Bay, Cape Town (purchased at R75,000,000).
  • Various properties in and around Gauteng, including Sandhurst and Hurlingham (valued at R151,300,000).
  • Two Twin Towers properties in Cape Town.
• Luxury Vehicles (combined value R223,598,516):
  • A range of Bentleys and Lamborghinis.
  • Specific vehicles include Lamborghini Urus Aventador SVJ, Lamborghini Huracan STO, Lamborghini Aventador Ultimate Coupe, Lamborghini Urus, and a Bentley Continental GT V8.

The Wider Web of Corruption at Tembisa Hospital

The SIU identified two other major syndicates: Syndicate X and the Mazibuko Syndicate, linked to Rudolph Mazibuko. Syndicate X is tied to procurement bundles valued at R596.4 million, with identified assets totalling R150 million. Mazibuko’s syndicate controlled transactions worth R283.5 million, leading to the acquisition of properties in the Western Cape and Gauteng worth approximately R42.6 million.

Beyond the identified syndicate kingpins, officials ranging from entry-level clerks to management were corrupted, receiving payments from these fraudulent enterprises, according to the SIU report.

The total value of alleged corrupt payments traced to Gauteng Department of Health (GDOH) and Tembisa Hospital officials is R122,228,000. The SIU found that lower-level GDOH officials were often the ones manipulating procurement processes and benefitting significantly. The SIU has prepared 116 disciplinary matters against 13 officials and referred four criminal matters to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

The SIU now aims to institute civil proceedings to recover the lost funds and assets, anticipating the complete investigation to conclude by November 2027.