Democratic Alliance (DA) spokesperson on Justice and Constitutional Development Advocate Glynnis Breytenbach called for justice for whistleblowers, urging a functional South African Police Service (Saps) and National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

The party welcomed the Special Investigating Unit's (SIU’s) report on looting at Tembisa Hospital, calling on Saps to investigate the corruption and make arrests, while also urging the NPA to prosecute those behind the hospital’s financial looting and those involved in the murder of Babita Deokaran.

On Monday, the SIU released the interim report on the Tembisa Hospital investigation, in which it revealed that there was a devastating plunder of the public purse, uncovering three coordinated syndicates responsible for the looting of over R2-billion.

The three syndicates implicated in the coordinated looting of hospital funds included the Maumela Syndicate, which is linked to Hangwani Morgan Maumela, who is the nephew of President Cyril Ramaphosa, through a previous marriage.

Breytenbach said her party welcomed the SIU’s report but reiterated the need for prosecuting those behind the scandal.

“Justice hangs in the balance, and it is up to the Saps and NPA to tip the scales in favour of the rule of law. There has never been a more critical time for these institutions to start doing their jobs,” she said.

Breytenbach said it was an “atrocity” that the Saps and NPA had become synonymous with delayed investigations and bungled prosecutions.

The DA said it would not accept a “failed” investigation or derailed prosecution of those responsible for the death of Deokaran and the looting of R2-billion of taxpayer money.

A functional and effective Saps and an NPA with integrity were crucial in rescuing South Africa, said Breytenbach.

“We will not accept another cover-up, where low ranking criminals are sent to prison and the masterminds go free. Babita Deokaran died to expose the looting at Tembisa, and four years later we still don't know who gave the order for her assassination.

“The Saps can't (or won't) find the masterminds behind her murder and the NPA can't (or won't) prosecute those responsible for industrial scale of corruption at the hospital,” she claimed.

Breytenbach described the Saps and NPA as “severely compromised”.

“The collapse of the Saps and the NPA is why crime goes unpunished in South Africa. It is the reason why whistleblowers are murdered, billions are stolen, and no one is held accountable. It is the reason why people are no longer safe in their homes, in their schools or on the streets,” she said.

Meanwhile, the party reiterated its call to Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi to remove Gauteng Health and Wellness MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko and Head of Department Lesiba Malotana, saying they need to be held accountable for continuing irregular spending and service delivery failures.

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health Dr Jack Bloom said the DA in Gauteng would closely monitor the referrals made by the SIU report, including 116 disciplinary referrals and the four criminal matters sent to the NPA.

He said the Gauteng Health Department needed to take speedy disciplinary action against the 13 identified officials implicated in the 116 SIU referrals.

“…they should not be allowed to resign before completion of the disciplinary process, as happened with former Chief Financial Officer Lerato Madyo who was suspended with pay for two years before resigning,” he stated.

FORCE IMPLEMENTATION

Meanwhile, ActionSA has lodged a complaint with the Public Protector to enforce implementation of SIU recommendations and compel decisive consequence management.

ActionSA Member of Parliament Dr Kgosi Letlape noted that despite strong SIU findings, accountability remained stalled, saying government continued to drag its feet while implicated suppliers remained free to win State contracts. 

"Looting healthcare budgets isn’t a technical crime but one that kills people. While patients died or suffered awaiting treatment, corrupt actors exploited Gauteng Health Department procurement systems for their own profit. They must be held to the fullest extent of the law, barred forever from State contracts, and forced to return every rand stolen," he said.