Cosatu Leaders Decry R2 Billion Tembisa Hospital Theft Amid Jobs Protest

Cosatu Jobs March Overshadowed by R2 Billion Tembisa Hospital Corruption Scandal

Tenmbisa — A protest by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni, calling for job creation and improved worker conditions, was overshadowed by the corruption scandal engulfing the Tembisa Hospital — where the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) recently revealed that more than R2 billion was looted through dubious contracts.

The SIU confirmed that three syndicates — the Mazibuko, Maumela, and X groups — have been identified as key players in the fraudulent scheme, though more networks are believed to be involved. The revelations mark a sharp escalation from the R850 million first uncovered by slain whistleblower Babita Deokaran, whose warnings about irregular payments were tragically ignored until after her death.

As protesters marched outside the hospital, union leaders and ordinary citizens voiced outrage over how corruption continues to erode essential services.

“It’s affecting everyone — the patients, the workers, the nurses, the doctors,” said one patient. “The services we’re getting are not great compared to other hospitals. Everyone is affected.”

READ: SIU Names Ramaphosa Relative Hangwani Maumela as Alleged Kingpin in R816 Million Tembisa Hospital Syndicate |

Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has since pointed to internal collusion, saying the large-scale siphoning of funds could not have happened without insiders at the facility enabling corrupt transactions.

During the march, Phillip Vilakazi, President of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), emphasized that Cosatu and its affiliates will not shield members implicated in wrongdoing:

“No union member involved in corruption will be defended. Every person must account. If there is tangible evidence, we will not protect them.”

READ: Tembisa Hospital Corruption Scandal: Billions Looted Through Dodgy Tenders EXPOSED |

Meanwhile, Nkosana Dolopi, Deputy Secretary-General of SADTU, linked the Tembisa scandal to the broader economic and social crisis:

“Each time you steal from the public purse, you steal from the future of our children. You steal the health of the sick and the education of learners. Corruption is a cancer that must be fought.”

The timing of the Cosatu protest outside the Tembisa Hospital — now a symbol of both state decay and resistance — underscores the intersection between job insecurity, corruption, and collapsing public services in South Africa.