Two men implicated in the ongoing multi-billion rand corruption scandal at Tembisa Hospital have been granted bail of R5 000 each by the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court, adding to the growing list of arrests in what has become one of South Africa’s most devastating healthcare corruption cases.
NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, confirmed that Zacharia Chisele (53), a Tembisa Hospital official, and Hawks sergeant Papi Tsie (41), appeared before the court this week facing corruption charges related to an alleged R100 000 bribery attempt to derail an ongoing investigation into the hospital’s procurement irregularities.
According to court documents, the two accused allegedly met with a Hawks investigating officer on 23 November, during which they offered a R100 000 gratification payment to ensure Chisele would avoid prosecution in the broader corruption investigation.
During bail proceedings, the State did not oppose their release. Prosecutor Ngoako Mokumo submitted an affidavit from Investigating Officer Captain Johannes Labuschagne confirming that both accused have verified addresses, no previous convictions, and are not considered flight risks.
The case has been postponed to 27 February 2026, for further investigation.
This latest arrest forms part of an extensive corruption investigation that has exposed the theft of over R2 billion from Tembisa Hospital between 2020 and 2023. These were funds intended for critical healthcare services that never reached patients, leaving one of Gauteng’s largest public healthcare facilities crippled by systematic looting.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has uncovered a sophisticated network involving widespread procurement irregularities, fraud, money laundering, collusion, and bid rigging. The investigation has revealed how corrupt officials and their criminal partners systematically diverted public healthcare funds for personal enrichment while patients suffered from inadequate care.
The scandal involves multiple role players across various sectors, creating a complex web of corruption that spans hospital management, health department officials, service providers, and now extends into law enforcement agencies.
At least 15 current and former officials from the Gauteng Department of Health and Tembisa Hospital have been implicated in manipulating procurement processes to benefit preferred service providers and enrich themselves. Among these officials, Chisele has been previously identified as having received unlawful payments from service providers totaling over R13.5 million, funds that were subsequently recovered by the SIU.
The corruption network was allegedly facilitated by the irregular appointment of the late CEO Ashley Mthunzi, who despite facing disciplinary issues, was placed in the top position where he could strategically employ compromised individuals in key positions throughout the hospital’s management structure.
Multiple syndicates of service providers have been identified as central players in the scheme, engaging in irregular contracts, money laundering, and fronting operations. Some of these syndicates received tens of millions of rand through fraudulent appointments and inflated contracts. Investigations have revealed the shocking reality that none of the stolen funds were actually used for hospital equipment or medication. Instead, syndicate members used the diverted public money to acquire luxury assets for themselves.
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The corruption scandal took its most sinister turn with the assassination of whistleblower Babita Deokaran in August 2021. Deokaran, who served as acting chief financial officer at the Gauteng Department of Health, had exposed suspicious payments totalling around R850 million linked to Tembisa Hospital.
Deokaran had allegedly warned her superiors, including the acting CFO Lerato Madyo, about the suspicious payments and had expressed serious concerns that her life was in danger.
Despite her pleas for protection and her detailed reports about the corruption network, no protective measures were implemented and no genuine investigations were launched. On 23 August 2021, Deokaran was gunned down in a targeted hit outside her Johannesburg home after dropping her daughter at school. The assassination was carried out by professional hitmen who ambushed her car, shooting her multiple times in a planned, close-range execution.
Six men were subsequently arrested, charged, and sentenced for her murder, but the identity of those who ordered the hit remains a mystery.
The latest arrests of Chisele and Sergeant Tsie represent just the latest chapter in what appears to be an ongoing investigation that continues to reveal new layers of corruption and criminality within what should be institutions dedicated to public service and the protection of citizens’ rights.
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