The Gauteng Department of Health has confirmed that nine officials at the Tembisa hospital who were implicated in corruption in a forensic report by Special Investigative Unit (SIU) last year have been suspended.

KILLED FOR TRUTH

The report was released by the Special Investigating Unit and made public in December 2022, following the death of whistle-blower Babita Deokaran. Deokaran was shot and killed on August 23, 2021, in an alleged hit, while she was returning home from dropping her daughter off at school. The murder took place just after Deokran flagged irregular payments and suspected tender fraud in the department. Six suspects linked to her murder were arrested and charged a few days after her assassination.

PRECAUTIONARY SUSPENSION 

The department’s spokesperson Motalatale Modiba said employees who were mentioned in the report have all been placed on precautionary suspension as part of the disciplinary process.‘’The department will further consider its options in relation to those that have already terminated their services,’’ said Modiba. He said that the nine employees mentioned on the SIU report were suspended on 10 July 2023, to enable disciplinary proceedings and investigations. "The deputy director for the supply chain has since retired, a chief physiotherapist has since resigned and a seasonal medical officer has since stopped working at the facility,’’ he said. Modiba said the processes pertaining to the disciplinary case involving the suspended Chief Financial Officer and Tembisa Hospital Chief Executive Officer are underway and handled by the office of the Premier. ‘’The two officials have since been charged. The first set of hearings has sat and the next set will be sitting in October 2023. Based on the findings in respect of the irregularities highlighted as per the payment bundles received, the SIU would recommend that disciplinary action be instituted against all officials responsible for the adjudication of the various quotations received,’’ Modiba added.