President Cyril Ramaphosa said he personally confronted alleged Tembisa Hospital kingpin Hangwani Maumela over corruption claims but stopped short of confirming any personal acquaintance with him.
A Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigation has identified Maumela as one of three syndicates behind the looting of R2bn from Tembisa Hospital through a complex web of corruption and fraud. The SIU’s interim report names the Maumela syndicate as the largest beneficiary, securing about R816m in tenders and linked to dozens of front companies.
The scandal, first exposed by whistle-blower and slain health official Babita Deokaran, has become emblematic of deep-rooted corruption at the hospital. Deokaran, who was murdered in 2021 after flagging suspicious payments, repeatedly warned that politically connected individuals were manipulating procurement to siphon off state funds.
The presidency on Monday verified a video showing Ramaphosa outside the home of Maumela in Johannesburg, where the SIU raided last week as part of its investigation into corruption at Tembisa Hospital. However, it denied that Ramaphosa is related to Maumela.
Responding to questions from MPs in the National Council of Provinces on Tuesday, Ramaphosa said the confrontation between him and Maumela occurred in December 2024, before the SIU’s raid.
“So I have encountered him, and you can make what you like of it. Do I deal with him? No. Do I meet him and sit down with him? No. Do I visit him at his house? No. Am I appalled at the allegations that are being made against him? Yes, I am appalled.
“And as I walk past that house, I know that that house was built with the money, as it is alleged, that was not properly acquired, and it is money that should have been spent on the health of our people,” Ramaphosa said.
The president clarified that he was married to Maumela’s aunt 47 years ago and divorced 43 years ago and in 2023 learnt of their family connection.
“Now 47 years ago I got married to his father’s sister, his aunt, we divorced 43 years ago and when I said to honourable [John] Steenhuisen in 2022 when he asked whether I knew him, I said I did not know him because I had never encountered him, I had never seen him and that was gospel truth. Now later in 2023 as I was walking in the street in my neighbourhood I walked past a house as Mr Magwenya said yesterday,” said Ramaphosa.
“So there was this brouhaha that, yes, I visit his home on a regular basis and so forth ... in 2024, I am walking on that same street and a person comes out of this house and he greets me and as I often meet people, I ask them, ‘who are you?’
“He says, ‘I am Hangwani Maumela’ and that’s how he introduces himself to me and I say, ‘so you are the man who is putting my name into disrepute’ and he smiles away, and now I’ve encountered this person, and I walk away and I walk to my home.”
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