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When Andile Ramaphosa, director of MedAccess Trading CC was linked to the fraud, the shock rippled through South Africa's political and health sectors. Just days later, the National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) announced the seizure of more than R6.7 billion in luxury assets, ranging from four Lamborghini Urus SUVs to a Sunseeker yacht, after a months‑long probe into procurement fraud at Tembisa Hospital. The operation, led by Ouma Rabaji‑Rasethaba, Deputy National Director of the NPA, sent a clear message: siphoning funds meant for a hospital serving 1.2 million residents will not go unpunished.
Between January 2019 and August 2022, Tembisa Hospital, a key public facility in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, was plagued by chronic shortages – no water, erratic electricity, and, most critically, missing medicines. An internal audit in late 2022 raised red flags about inflated tender values and unexplained payments to suppliers that did not exist. By early 2023, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) had earmarked the case for a full forensic audit.
The audit, conducted with the help of KPMG South Africa and BDO Advisory Services, uncovered 147 suspicious transactions totalling R326,487,200. The bulk of that money was traced to two intertwined syndicates: the primary network allegedly chaired by Andile Ramaphosa and a second group linked to the Mazibuko family.
The total market value of the seized items tops R6.7 billion, according to the AFU’s press release on 12 September 2025. An additional preservation order on 27 August 2025 froze assets linked to the Mazibuko syndicate worth at least R47 million, including a R24 million mansion in Bryanston and luxury vehicles stored in Johannesburg.
The investigation names several high‑profile individuals:
According to the AFU, funds were funneled through offshore accounts in Mauritius and the United Arab Emirates, then used to finance first‑class flights to Dubai, high‑end retail sprees at Louis Vuitton and Gucci, and the procurement of the Sunseeker yacht.
The AFU filed a preservation application on 15 August 2025 under Section 21B of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act. Justice David Unterhalter presided over the hearing that led to the August 27 order freezing the Mazibuko assets. Simultaneously, the National Treasury’s Special Investigating Unit (SIU) launched civil proceedings on 15 September 2025 to recover the diverted funds, invoking Section 38 of the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act.
Colonel Katlego Mojapela of the Hawks’ Commercial Crimes Unit executed search warrants on 10 September 2025 at five Johannesburg locations, including the syndicate’s headquarters at 145 Rivonia Road, Sandton. The seized yacht was located at Marina Martinique in Hout Bay, Cape Town, registered under the shell company Healthcare Yachts Pty Ltd.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office, through spokesperson Tyrone Seeram, issued a stern statement on 14 September 2025: “The President has zero tolerance for corruption and has instructed all relevant authorities to pursue this matter without fear or favour, including family members where evidence exists.”
Health Ombudsman Professor Malegapuru Makgoba warned on 13 September 2025 that the theft directly caused shortages of insulin, cancer drugs, and surgical equipment, affecting roughly 8,400 patients each month. The Public Investment Corporation subsequently suspended R500 million earmarked for a new oncology wing at Tembisa Hospital, pending the outcome of the investigations.
Patients and community leaders have taken to social media, demanding accountability and faster restoration of services. “When there is no water, no electricity, no medication, we are all suffering,” quoted Ouma Rabaji‑Rasethaba, echoing the frustration of thousands who rely on the public hospital.
The AFU expects to finalize the forfeiture proceedings by 15 December 2025. Once liquidated, the proceeds will be transferred to the National Revenue Fund to support healthcare infrastructure rehabilitation across Gauteng.
Meanwhile, the criminal cases against the identified syndicate members are expected to move to trial in early 2026. Legal analysts say the outcome could set a precedent for how South Africa handles large‑scale corruption in the public health sector.
The forfeited assets, valued at over R6.7 billion, will be liquidated and funneled into the National Revenue Fund. That money is earmarked for rebuilding the hospital’s infrastructure, including the stalled oncology wing, which should gradually restore services once the funds are released.
A preservation order was granted by the Gauteng Division of the High Court on 27 August 2025 under Section 21B of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act. The court, presided over by Justice David Unterhalter, authorized the freezing of R47 million worth of properties and vehicles linked to the syndicate.
Key figures include Andile Ramaphosa, alleged mastermind behind the primary syndicate; Sipho Mthembu, the suspended CEO of Tembisa Hospital; and members of the Mazibuko family linked to the secondary syndicate. The AFU and Hawks are pursuing criminal charges against them.
Patients have faced severe shortages of essential medicines such as insulin and chemotherapy drugs. Health Ombudsman Professor Malegapuru Makgoba estimates that about 8,400 patients each month have been directly affected, leading to delayed treatments and, in some cases, preventable complications.
The Asset Forfeiture Unit has set a target date of 15 December 2025 to finalise the forfeiture process and transfer the proceeds to the National Revenue Fund for healthcare reconstruction.
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Comments
Dhea Avinda Lase
Wow, that’s a staggering amount of money to see seized in one swoop.