Babita Deokaran murder: ‘Distant’ relative of Ramaphosa implicated in dodgy Tembisa Hospital tenders

While the family of Babita Deokaran anxiously await justice to take its course after her death more than one year ago, investigations have revealed those responsible for dodgy tender dealings could be distant relatives of the country’s president.

The latest in News24’s series of ‘Silenced’ reports revealed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s nephew by marriage, Hangwani Morgan Maumela, played an integral role in millions of rands worth of tenders at Tembisa Hospital.

Deokaran was shot and killed outside her Mondeor, Johannesburg, home after flagging hundreds of cases of possible corruption worth R850 million within the Gauteng Department of Health.

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Keeping it in the family?

Maumela is Ramaphosa’s first wife Hope Ramaphosa’s (née Mudau) brother Basil Mudau’s son.

Maumela’s mother Mboneni was Director of Public Health in Limpopo for almost two decades before retiring last year.

The 1 000 transactions worth more than R36 million said to have been scored by Maumela and his cousin are reportedly on the Special Investigation Unit’s (SIU) radar.

Maumela is also said to be a business associate of Ramaphosa’s principal political advisor, Bejani Chauke. They are also neighbours, the report revealed.

The report found six Tembisa Hospital transactions made out to companies controlled by Maumela, and 12 potentially fraudulent entities are said to be connected to the Maumela family.

News24 established that seven of Maumela’s nine companies operate from the same location: an estate in Sandton.

Maumela reportedly also has ties to other companies flagged by Deokaran, two of which also reportedly operate from the same Sandton estate.

ALSO READ: Babita Deokaran: One year later, still no justice

‘No relationship’

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson told News24 he had no relationship with Maumela, with the perceived distant familial link having no influence on decisions made to investigate the hospital.

The publication was told should the president be approached by the SIU to endorse an investigation on Tembisa Hospital, he would sign off on it.

“The president does not have any knowledge of Maumela’s business dealings, neither was he aware of his involvement with the Tembisa Hospital or any other state entity,” Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said.

In August, Gauteng Department of Health chief financial officer Lerato Madyo and Tembisa Hospital CEO Ashley Mthunzi were placed on suspension.

The SIU said this was to prevent them impeding investigations.

ALSO READ: Babita Deokaran murder: Gauteng Health CFO goes on defence after suspension

Case back in court next month

The case against six men accused of killing Deokaran is expected back in the dock in November.

Phakamani Hadebe, Zitha Hadebe, Nhlangano Ndlovu, Sanele Mbhele, Simphiwe Mazibuko and Phakanyiswa Dladla were denied bail last year.

They face charges of murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and possession of unlicensed firearm and ammuition.

The accused previously made various confessions and admissions following their arrest, including that they were apparently acting at the behest of former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize.

But they later confessed to giving false statements and claimed they were tortured.

NOW READ: Whistleblower Babita Deokaran’s case handed over to independent investigator

Compiled by Nica Richards.