The ANC has welcomed the Special Investigating Unit’s report into the orgy of looting at Tembisa Hospital, which revealed that more than R2bn was stolen, calling it a “great honour” for slain whistle-blower Babita Deokaran.
On Monday, the SIU briefed the media on the unit’s interim report regarding its investigation into corruption at the hospital.
ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu said the report was the result of law enforcement agencies fighting corruption at all levels.
“This report is a great honour to the late Babita Deokaran, civil servants and whistle-blowerscommitted towards clean governance and administration, and building an ethical developmental state capable of delivering services to the most vulnerable of society,” Bhengu said.
She said the ANC applauded the progress made in the recovery of the stolen funds.
“The arrest, conviction, and sentencing of those who killed Babita Deokaran is not sufficient nor proportionate to the sanctity of life in the absence of the full recovery of the money stolen from the state.
“The preservation of the order against those involved in graft is a positive development as the net finally closes against those who were involved in graft. The ANC has full confidence in the criminal justice system to fight graft in all its manifestations,” Bhengu said.
The preservation of the order against those involved in graft is a positive development as the net finally closes against those who were involved in graft.
— ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu
SIU head Adv Andy Mothibi said on Monday that none of the Tembisa Hospital service providers were licensed with the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) to either manufacture and/or supply medical devices as defined in the relevant prescripts. Twenty-five matters were referred to Sahpra for investigation for noncompliance in respect of its requirements.
“Sahpra confirmed that none of the service providers under investigation were issued with the relevant Sahpra licences to supply the purported medical devices during the period under review,” he said.
Sahpra told Sowetan on Tuesday that it had completed its investigation and handed over all relevant information to the SIU.
The authority’s spokesperson, Yuven Gounden, said: “The matter lies with the SIU and law enforcement to take this matter forward. The investigation will be concluded by November 2027, according to the SIU. The Sahpra regulatory compliance unit will work with law enforcement agencies, who will take further action.
“Sahpra has provided the information when it was requested. It is now up to law enforcement to take this further,” he said.
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