Gauteng Department of Health
The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) is the provincial health authority for Gauteng province, overseeing hospitals including Tembisa Hospital, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, Chris Hani Baragwanath, and others. The department became central to corruption investigations following the COVID-19 pandemic PPE fraud (exposed by Babita Deokaran) and the Tembisa Hospital tender irregularities uncovered by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).
PPE fraud (~R332 million): During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021, the department processed approximately R332 million in fraudulent or irregular PPE procurement payments. Babita Deokaran, then acting CFO, identified and flagged these payments, compiled evidence, and cooperated with investigators. She testified at the Commission of Inquiry into Forensic Investigation of Gauteng Pandemic Responses. Her murder in August 2021 came days after testifying and is believed to be connected to her whistleblowing.
Tembisa Hospital fraud (~R2 billion): The SIU revealed in September 2025 that Tembisa Hospital had irregularly awarded tenders worth approximately R2 billion to “highly connected businessmen.” Deokaran had also provided information about Tembisa Hospital fraud to CFO Lerato Madyo before her murder.
Lerato Madyo (CFO): Madyo, as CFO, received Deokaran’s tip-offs about Tembisa Hospital fraud and failed to act on them. The Democratic Alliance laid seven charges against Madyo at Johannesburg Central Police Station in October 2025: failing to report corruption, theft and fraud, conspiracy to commit an offence, and failing to stop irregular expenditure. In a further scandal, Madyo was paid a financial settlement to exit the department in March 2026 rather than face disciplinary proceedings — described by critics as “the whole thing stinks to high heaven.”
Babita Deokaran connection: Deokaran was shot dead in a drive-by shooting at her Winchester Hills home on 23 August 2021 — days after testifying before the commission on PPE fraud. She had been the principal whistleblower on both the PPE fraud and Tembisa Hospital irregularities. Her murder exposed how the department’s corruption had potentially lethal consequences for those who challenged it.
Connections
- Babita Deokaran — acting CFO and whistleblower; murdered August 2021; central to exposing PPE and Tembisa Hospital fraud
- Special Investigating Unit (SIU) — conducted Tembisa Hospital investigation; found R2 billion in irregular tenders
- Vusimuzi Matlala — allegedly connected to businessmen who received Tembisa Hospital tenders (Medicare 24)