SIU now empowered to probe alleged corruption at Gauteng Health and Tembisa Hospital

The proclamation signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa authorising the SIU to get to the root of the allegation of corruption and maladministration at the Gauteng Health Department and Tembisa Hospital has now been gazetted.

Ramaphosa signed the proclamation last month.

The proclamation follows an investigation undertaken by the SIU at Tembisa Hospital on behalf of the Gauteng government into corruption allegations flagged by murdered whistleblower Babita Deokaran.

Deokaran was shot and killed outside her Johannesburg home in 2021.

She had discovered multi-million rand worth of irregular tenders at Tembisa Hospital.

Two year anniversary of Babita Deokaran’s death:

Spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago says the SIU is now empowered to investigate possible syndicate activity in corruption and fraud and cover areas not included in the probe conducted on behalf of the Gauteng government.

“The Proclamation will then enable the SIU to subpoena evidence, electronic gadgets, bank accounts, and interrogate witnesses under oath, delve deeper into the procurement and contracting of goods at Tembisa Hospital, act against officials who were fingered in the SIU’s preliminary investigation, and institute civil litigation to recover money and assets lost by the state.”