The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has welcomed the arrest of Zacharia Tshisele, a Tembisa Hospital employee, in connection with widespread corruption uncovered during an ongoing investigation into procurement irregularities at the facility.
According to the SIU, evidence gathered during its probe shows that Tshisele allegedly received unlawful payments from multiple service providers contracted to Tembisa Hospital between 1 January 2020 and 1 September 2023.
TEMBISA HOSPITAL CORRUPTION PROBE ONGOING
The matter was formally referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), and the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) in April 2025 for criminal prosecution and asset recovery.
In November 2025, Tshisele repaid R13.5 million to the SIU, an amount representing part of the proceeds he allegedly accumulated through corrupt dealings. The SIU confirmed that the civil action to recover the remaining funds is still underway.
The SIU’s interim findings highlight the scale of alleged wrongdoing at Tembisa Hospital and within the Gauteng Department of Health.
According to the unit:
- Corrupt payments linked to officials at the hospital and the provincial health department currently total R122.2 million.
- At least 15 current and former officials have been implicated in corruption, money laundering, bid rigging, collusion, and other procurement-related irregularities.
- Those implicated range from junior clerks to senior management officials.
- The number of involved officials is expected to rise as investigations continue.
To date, the SIU has issued disciplinary referrals against 13 officials, and a further 108 referrals have been sent to the GDOH related to maladministration and the irregular appointment of service providers.
MANDATE AND ONGOING ACTION
The SIU’s investigation is being conducted under Proclamation No. 136 of 2023, which authorises the unit to probe corruption and maladministration within the Gauteng Department of Health and Tembisa Hospital.
As required under the SIU and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996, any evidence of criminal conduct uncovered during the investigation has been referred to the NPA for further action.
The Act also empowers the SIU to pursue civil litigation in the High Court or Special Tribunal to recover financial losses suffered by the state.
In its statement, the SIU reaffirmed its commitment to rooting out corruption and ensuring accountability within public institutions.
