Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, the MEC for Gauteng Health, has acknowledged that Cyril Ramaphosa’s relative Hangwani Maumela has received millions in illegitimate contracts from Tembisa Hospital and other hospitals in the region. The shocking revelation was made in response to questions posed in the provincial legislature by Jack Bloom, the DA’s Gauteng health spokesperson.
MEC Acknowledges Illegitimate Contracts
Nkomo-Ralehoko’s acknowledgment of the illegitimate contracts has raised concerns about potential corruption within the Gauteng Health Department. The contracts awarded to Maumela’s companies amounted to a staggering R381 million over the last three years, according to the MEC.
Some of these businesses were either deregistered for a while or weren’t tax compliant at various points.
Nomantu Nkomo Ralehoko
They don’t appear to be respectable businesses that sell genuine goods for fair prices.
Shocking Revelation Prompts Legislative Inquiry
Bloom expressed his shock when Nkomo-Ralehoko revealed that Hangwani’s 12 companies had secured these lucrative contracts from Gauteng public hospitals. Specifically, Bloom questioned the contracts worth R36 million awarded to 12 companies by Tembisa Hospital last year. These contracts had been flagged as “possibly fraudulent” by the late whistleblower Babita Deokaran, along with other suspicious payments totaling R850 million.

Millions in Illegitimate Contracts Awarded to Maumela’s Companies
Investigations have revealed that the businesses tied to the Hangwani’s family received contracts worth R381.4 million from April 2019 to the present. Of this total, R356 million originated from Tembisa Hospital, R22 million from Mamelodi Hospital, and R2.4 million from various other hospitals in the region.
Questionable Contracts and Suspected Fraudulent Payments
Nkomo-Ralehoko admitted that none of the listed companies had obtained approval from the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority to sell medical products. However, she attributed this to inadequate processes and oversight, disputing Bloom’s claim that a significant portion of the funds was allocated for medical products.
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Businesses Tied to the Maumela Family
Media reports have highlighted the ties between the businesses awarded the contracts and the Maumela family. Hangwani Maumela is a director in nine of these businesses, while the remaining three are operated by relatives.
Lack of Competitive Bidding Raises Concerns
Since none of the contracts exceeded R500,000, the CEO of Tembisa Hospital approved them without initiating a competitive bidding process. This lack of competition has raised concerns about transparency and potential favor.

SIU Urged to Expand Investigation
While the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is already looking into the spike in payments made to Tembisa Hospital last year, Bloom called for an expanded investigation to encompass all payments made to Maumela’s businesses. He emphasized the need to thoroughly investigate the alleged misconduct and root out corruption within the Gauteng Health Department.
Call for Action from President Ramaphosa
Bloom called on President Ramaphosa to issue a proclamation authorizing a comprehensive investigation into all forms of corruption within the Gauteng Health Department. He emphasized the need for strong action to address the issue, rather than mere promises of improvement in the future.
Alleged Misuse of Funds and Impact on Patient Care
Bloom expressed concern that the millions of rand allocated to these illegitimate contracts could have been better utilized to provide quality healthcare services to hospital patients. He deemed it unacceptable that the MEC had not blacklisted businesses that appeared to be in violation of the law, promising to exert pressure to ensure compliance.
Demand for Blacklisting Non-Compliant Businesses
Bloom criticized the MEC’s failure to blacklist businesses that violated the law and stressed the importance of taking tough measures to eradicate corruption within the department. He announced his intention to write to the regulator to investigate whether Maumela’s companies were legitimately authorized to sell medical products.

Strong Measures Needed to Combat Corruption
The revelations surrounding Hangwani’s contracts underscore the urgent need for robust measures to combat corruption within the Gauteng Health Department. If President Ramaphosa is serious about eliminating corruption, decisive action must be taken to address the issue and restore public trust.
Regulator to Investigate Authorization of Medical Product Sales
Bloom announced his intention to request an investigation by the regulator to determine whether Hangwani’s companies were legitimately authorized to sell medical products. This inquiry aims to uncover any potential wrongdoing in the sale of medical goods by these businesses.