Gauteng Health Dept Head Arnold Lesiba Malotana Suspended Amid SIU Probe

JOHANNESBURG – The Head of the Gauteng Department of Health, Arnold Lesiba Malotana, has been placed on precautionary suspension effective immediately. The move comes as the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) deepens its probe into allegations of widespread corruption, fraud, and financial mismanagement at Tembisa Tertiary Hospital.

The suspension was confirmed by the office of Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi on Tuesday afternoon. A statement cited the "serious allegations" linked to the SIU's ongoing investigation into dubious payments and procurement irregularities at the East Rand hospital, which are believed to exceed R1 billion.

"The Head of Department has been suspended to allow the Special Investigating Unit to conclude its investigation into the serious allegations of corruption and mismanagement at the Tembisa Tertiary Hospital," the statement read. "The provincial government is committed to rooting out corruption and ensuring clean governance."

The SIU investigation was officially authorized by President Cyril Ramaphosa and focuses on a series of suspicious transactions flagged by the late whistleblower and senior finance official, Babita Deokaran, shortly before her assassination in August 2021. Deokaran had identified potentially fraudulent payments to a web of "possibly fictitious" suppliers, raising alarms about a sophisticated syndicate operating within the hospital's supply chain.

Mr. Malotana's suspension is seen as a significant step in ensuring the integrity of the investigation and preventing any potential interference with the probe.

Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, has emphasized the department's cooperation with law enforcement agencies. "We are fully committed to cooperating with the SIU and any other law enforcement agency to ensure that those responsible for looting public funds... face the full might of the law," she stated.

The Tembisa Hospital scandal has cast a long shadow over the provincial healthcare system, highlighting critical failures in financial controls. As the SIU continues to unravel the complex network of corruption, the suspension of the department's top official signals a new phase of accountability in one of Gauteng's most significant graft investigations.

An acting Head of Department is expected to be appointed shortly to ensure the continuity of services.