The probe into the Thembisa Hospital corruption scandal also took the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to eMalahleni.

Witbank News reports that the SIU is investigating local car dealership Omar’s Motor Den that did business with Hangwani Maumela, who allegedly colluded with hospital officials to inflate prices for items such as cleaning supplies, medical equipment and basic services.

These alleged activities resulted in a R2b loss for the health sector.

Yusuf Omar from Omar’s Motor Den says the dealership is fully co-operating with authorities.

In defence of its business practices, Omar clarified: “Omar’s Motor Den does not deal in any way with vehicles on consignment. All the vehicles in stock are registered in our client’s name and advertised for sale.”

Furthermore, Yasmin Omar, the legal representative for the dealership, explained that the four vehicles cited in the SIU Tribunal’s order were acquired legally.

“Our client took delivery of the vehicles along with their spare keys and registration papers, and paid for the vehicles in full, by EFT, at fair market value,” he confirms.

Kaizer Kganyago, spokesperson of SIU, says the corruption at Tembisa Hospital first came to light through the brave efforts of whistleblower Babita Deokaran, the hospital’s former chief financial officer.

Deokaran flagged suspicious tenders and irregular payments before she was assassinated in August 2021 outside her Johannesburg home.

Khanyago, in a press release, said six of the nine officials who were sighted in the SIU’s report were suspended.

The deputy director for supply chain has since retired, a chief physiotherapist has resigned, and a medical officer has since stopped working at the facility.

SIU determined to ‘claw back every cent’

Yesterday, SAnews reported that the SIU is determined to ‘claw back every cent’ that was unlawfully taken from the public purse as a result of corruption and fraud at Tembisa Hospital.

SIU Head Advocate Andy Mothibi said this is after the unit obtained a preservation order of R900m worth of assets linked to an alleged criminal syndicate that operated at the hospital.

The syndicate – together with two others – allegedly siphoned off R2b that was earmarked for the improvement of healthcare services at the hospital in a complex web of fraud and corruption.

“The orders are a critical step in our commitment to claw back every cent that was stolen from the public purse, specifically Tembisa Hospital.

“This is not merely a preservation but a proactive, intensive effort to trace, secure, and ultimately recover assets that we allege are the proceeds of corruption. We will not allow individuals to hide behind complex corporate and trust structures,” Mothibi said.

Last week, the SIU secured assets valued at approximately R133.5m belonging to one of the alleged masterminds of the Tembisa Hospital looting, Hangwani Maumela.

Items secured at a Sandhurst home and Emalahleni dealership include:

•    A property in Sandhurst: estimated value R70m
•    Three Lamborghinis: estimated value R25m
•    Household contents: estimated value R3m
•    Security in respect of the Household contents: estimated value R500 000
•    Two Aston Martin luxury cars
•    One Ferrari luxury car
•    One Rolls-Royce luxury car

“The Mpumalanga dealership, on a completely without prejudice basis, gave the SIU surety of two immovable properties, without any bonds outstanding on them, valued at approximately R35m in exchange for the curator, in the interim, not removing the luxury cars from the dealership after the luxury cars have been attached by the curator.

“The preserved assets will remain under the control of the curator appointed by the Special Tribunal until the final determination of up to 41 main civil recovery proceedings to be instituted, the first of which the SIU is mandated to institute within 60 court days. Once civil proceedings are concluded, the assets will be forfeited to the state,” the SIU explained.

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