SIU recovers R13.5m from Tembisa Hospital nurse accused of bribery

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) says it has recovered R13.5 million from Tembisa Hospital nurse Zacharia Chisele, 53, who was arrested this week after allegedly attempting to bribe a Hawks investigating officer.

The SIU welcomed the arrest of Chisele, an employee at the hospital, as part of its ongoing probe into procurement irregularities at the Gauteng health facility.

According to SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago, the arrest follows an extensive investigation which found that Chisele received unlawful payments from various service providers at the hospital between January 1, 2020 and September 1, 2023.

“In April 2025, the SIU referred the matter to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), and the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) for criminal prosecution and asset recovery,” Kganyago said.

He added that in November 2025, Chisele paid R13,530,904.27 to the SIU, representing a portion of the proceeds of corruption identified during the probe.

The SIU’s civil efforts to recover the full amount remain underway.

Kganyago said the SIU has so far identified corrupt payments totalling R122,228,000 linked to officials and employees of the Gauteng Department of Health (GDOH) and the Tembisa Hospital.

At least 15 current and former officials have been implicated in corruption, money laundering, collusion and bid rigging. 

More suspects are expected to be identified as the investigation continues.

“The officials range from entry-level clerks to management-level staff,” he said.

To date, the SIU has prepared 116 disciplinary referrals against 13 officials, including 108 referrals submitted to the GDOH for maladministration and irregular appointment of service providers.

Kganyago said the SIU remains committed to rooting out corruption in public institutions. 

The investigation is being conducted under Proclamation No. 136 of 2023, which authorised the SIU to investigate allegations of maladministration and corruption within the GDOH and Tembisa Hospital. 

In line with the SIU Act, the Unit has also referred evidence of criminal conduct to the NPA.

Under the same Act, the SIU is empowered to bring civil proceedings in the High Court or Special Tribunal to recover losses suffered by the state.

The developments follow the arrests of Chisele and Sergeant Papi Tsie, 41, a member of the Hawks. 

The pair briefly appeared in the Pretoria Magistrates Court on Monday on corruption charges.

It is alleged that on Friday, November 21, Tsie approached a DPCI officer and said Chisele wanted assistance to avoid prosecution in the hospital corruption investigation. 

Tsie reportedly indicated that Chisele was willing to offer gratification.

On Sunday, November 25, 2025, Tsie and Chisele allegedly met the investigating officer and handed over R100,000 in cash. 

The operation, authorised by the Director of Public Prosecutions, resulted in their immediate arrest by the DPCI’s Serious Corruption Investigation Unit.

NPA regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the matter was postponed to December 2, for bail investigations and a bail application. Both accused remain in custody.

Hawks Acting National Head Siphosihle Nkosi assured the public that investigations into corruption at Tembisa Hospital would continue “without deterrence”.

“We also emphasise that those within the DPCI who involve themselves in criminal activities will be rooted out of the organisation,” he said.

The arrests come as pressure mounts on the Department of Health to fast-track the blacklisting of companies linked to the looting of more than R2 billion from Tembisa Hospital. 

Among the syndicates implicated previously were Hangwani Maumela, a nephew of President Cyril Ramaphosa from a previous marriage, and controversial tender entrepreneur Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala.

IOL News