Two officials have landed behind bars after a corruption scandal linked to Tembisa Hospital took a dramatic turn. The accused, hospital official Zacharia Chisele (53) and Hawks officer Sergeant Papi Tsie (41), briefly appeared before the Pretoria Magistrates Court on Monday on charges of corruption.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the two allegedly attempted to bribe a Hawks investigating officer with R100,000 to shield Chisele from prosecution in an ongoing investigation into corruption at the embattled health facility.
The matter has been postponed to 2 December for bail investigations and a formal bail application. Both men are expected to remain in custody until then.
Events leading to the arrests began on Friday, 21 November, when Tsie allegedly approached a Hawks investigator to indicate that Chisele “needed assistance” with the corruption case linked to Tembisa Hospital. Tsie reportedly told the officer that Chisele was prepared to offer a gratification in exchange for avoiding criminal charges.
On Sunday, 23 November 2025, during a meeting authorised and monitored by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Tsie and Chisele allegedly handed over R100,000 in cash to the investigator. The DPCI’s Serious Corruption Investigation Unit immediately executed a takedown operation, arresting both suspects on the spot.
Hawks Acting National Head, Lieutenant General Siphosihle Nkosi, reassured the public that the wider Tembisa Hospital corruption probe will continue unaffected.
“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 at a time when pressure is mounting on the Department of Health to urgently blacklist companies implicated in the looting of more than R2 billion from Tembisa Hospital. Among those linked to the contentious contracts are Hangwani Maumela, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s nephew from a previous marriage, and Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, a known controversial tender figure.
The hospital’s corruption saga continues to inflame public outrage as more revelations surface about syndicates that benefited from irregular procurement and inflated tenders.
