The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has raided the Sandton, Johannesburg, home of businessman Hangwani Maumela, seizing high-end vehicles and artworks as part of an R820 million asset recovery operation linked to wholesale looting at Tembisa Hospital, in Ekurhuleni.
Photo: File
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has raided the Sandton, Johannesburg, home of businessman Hangwani Maumela, seizing high-end vehicles and artworks as part of an R820 million asset recovery operation linked to wholesale looting at Tembisa Hospital, in Ekurhuleni.
On Thursday, the SIU descended on Maumela’s residence, where law enforcement seized Lamborghinis, designer furniture and valuable art believed to have been bought with the proceeds of corrupt hospital contracts.
SIU senior communications manager Ngwako Motsieng confirmed the raid, saying:
“The SIU confirms an operation took place at a Sandhurst home linked to our Tembisa Hospital investigation. This operation is part of implementing the SIU’s investigation outcomes and consequence management. We will communicate further once the legal processes have been finalised.”
The government noted the ongoing operations by law-enforcement agencies and the public interest they have generated.
“These operations fall within the normal scope of their mandate to investigate matters and recover assets,” it said in a statement.
“Such activities are a standard and essential part of government’s fight against corruption, ensuring accountability and upholding the rule of law.”
It called on the public to allow law-enforcement agencies the space to conduct their work “without disruption or interference”, adding that it was confident they would “at all material times act in full compliance with the law”.
Motsieng said the SIU could not disclose the value of the vehicles and other luxury items seized.
“The operation is linked to the Tembisa investigation. However, we are not able to say much at this stage because there are ongoing legal processes. Once those matters have been finalised, we will communicate further,” he said.
The SIU’s investigation into corruption at Tembisa Hospital has uncovered three coordinated syndicates responsible for looting more than R2 billion meant for healthcare services.
“This staggering sum, intended for the provision of healthcare to the most vulnerable, was instead ruthlessly siphoned off through a complex web of fraud and corruption — representing an egregious betrayal of the nation’s trust,” SIU head advocate Andy Mothibi said in a media briefing last month at the hospital, where an interim report on the investigation was released.
Mothibi said the probe had uncovered irregularities, fraud and corruption by officials and service providers.
“Key officials from the Gauteng department of health and Tembisa Hospital are accused of benefiting from corrupt payments that facilitated the irregular appointment of service providers, involving money laundering and fraud through fronting and false supply-chain documentation,” he said.