Tembisa Hospital

Advocate Johnson provided a single-page case study document prepared for FATF concerning the Tembisa Hospital investigation, requesting it be kept confidential under an embargo agreement with FATF.

“You provided a document which speaks to those matters and you will address momentarily, but you highlighted the sensitive nature of that document and its contents and requested that it not be made publicly available because it provides detail as to progress of investigations.”

The SIU referred the Tembisa Hospital investigation in all its forms to the DPCI in or around 2020.

“Th e Te m b i s a h o s p i t a l m a t t e r, i n a l l o f i t s f o r m s , i n h o w e v e r m a n y l e g s o f i n v e s t i g a t i o n i t h a s , w h o m e v e r t h e p e r s o n s a n d e n t i t i e s o f i n t e r e s t a r e , h a d b e e n r e f e r r e d a r o u n d a b o u t 2 0 2 0 o r... b y t h e S I U t o t h e D P C I .”

Sergeant Nkosi sent Mr Sibande a YouTube clip about Mr Matlala that alleged involvement in fraud at Tembisa Hospital and other related allegations including misuse of blue lights and murder investigation.

“... you sent him a link to a clip on YouTube about Mr Matlala. ... It was about Mr Matlala, the allegations that he was involved in fraud at Tembisa Hospital, the fact that Babita Deokaran had been murdered while investigating that fraud, and the allegations that ... his then wife was using blue lights to take their children to school.”

By February 2023, Sergeant Nkosi was aware of the allegations against Mr Matlala involving fraud, murder of Babita Deokaran, and misuse of blue lights linked with the Ekurhuleni Council.

“By February 2023, you would have been aware of these allegations against Mr Matlala ... that he was involved in fraud at Tembisa Hospital, that the investigator of that fraud had been murdered, and that he was also alleged to have abused a relationship with the Ekurhuleni Council to get blue lights on his vehicles.”

Sergeant Nkosi was aware of the media allegations against Mr Matlala of fraud, unlawful use of blue lights from the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department, and possible link to the murder of Babita Deokaran by February 2023.

“At the time that General Sibiya says he first met Mr Matlala, there had been allegations published in the media that Mr Matlala was linked to fraud at Tembisa Hospital, was operating unlawfully with blue lights from the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department and maybe linked to the murder of Babita Deokaran.”

Ms Babita Deokaran died after uncovering a fraud related to the improperly awarded Tembisa Hospital contract.

“There is even the death of, and you were aware that the allegations – in fact, there have been convictions – and you were aware also that the death of Ms Babita Deokaran was said to have related to her having uncovered the improperly awarded contract, in fact, fraudulently awarded contract.”

Lt-Gen Shibiri was involved in the investigation of the murder of Ms Babita Deokaran and the burning of Tembisa Hospital and stated suspects were arrested but that Matlala was not linked at that time.

“I was personally involved and then we arrested the suspect and he was not part. So I was aware at that time...”

The murder of Ms Babita Deokaran was connected to a 200 million tender at Tembisa and was under investigation by DPCI and IDAC at the time; Matlala's name was not known then.

“By that time it was indicated that the murder is about 200 million Tembisa tender and so forth, but I was not aware at that time that there was the name of Matlala.”

General Sibiri testified that Mr Matlala was an accused in all cases indicated, was arrested in three cases going to court, found guilty in one case from 2001, and was not aware of the Tembisa hospital tender fraud implication in 2021/2022 at the time.

“Mr Matlala was an accused person in all these cases you have indicated. The only three which he was arrested now, which is going court and then the only one which he was found guilty...I did not see it in 2022, but I want to put something in perspective here...”