His remarks come after Tembisa Hospital in Gauteng province, east of Johannesburg, was found to have lost R2 billion ($116 million) to alleged tender fraud and irregularities. The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is probing the scandal, which is linked to the 2021 assassination of whistleblower Babita Deokaran.

Motsoaledi stressed that deliberate manipulation, not system failures, allowed the losses to occur. “When people start stealing, it doesn’t matter if they are junior or senior, they can still cause enormous damage,” he said. Fifteen officials have already been identified, with investigations ongoing.

He also highlighted weaknesses in oversight, noting that provincial funds are largely uncontrolled once distributed as equitable shares. He has been advocating for conditional grants to improve monitoring, but legal and constitutional constraints have limited central intervention.

The stolen funds have impacted healthcare delivery, affecting staff, equipment, and essential services. Some assets have been frozen and will be recovered, Motsoaledi said. The SIU plans to expand its probe to other provinces, including KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape provinces, to ensure the problem isn’t widespread.

–ChannelAfrica–