A planned national day of prayer at Tembisa Hospital has drawn strong criticism from the family of Shonisani Lethole, the young businessman who died after being starved for more than 100 hours at the facility in 2021.
The event, which was promoted with a poster featuring Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, was quickly postponed after a public backlash on social media, with many calling it insensitive in light of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report revealing that over R2 billion was looted from the hospital between 2018 and 2022.
A Mother’s Pain and Outrage
For Patricia Lethole, the mother of the late Shonisani, the event felt like a hollow gesture. She argued that no amount of prayer would undo the damage caused by corruption and negligence at the hospital.
“What use is prayer when people have suffered due to corruption?” she said.
“Maybe they thought this would cleanse them of their demons, but it will not — because we need people to be arrested for the crimes they committed.”
Lethole said she was never informed about the planned prayer session and expressed disbelief that government leaders would endorse such an event instead of focusing on accountability.
Her son, Shonisani, became a symbol of systemic healthcare failure in South Africa after an investigation found he had been left without food for over four days before his death — a tragedy that led to national outrage and renewed calls for reform at public hospitals.
Premier’s Office Distances Itself
Following the uproar, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s office moved swiftly to distance him from the event.
In a statement, Lesufi’s spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga, said the Premier had no knowledge or involvement in the “Prayer Day” and was shocked to see his image used on promotional material.
“The Office of the Premier wants to categorically state that Premier Lesufi was not aware of the ‘Prayer Day’ session and the event was never part of his schedule of events or activities,” Mhlanga said.
He confirmed that Lesufi had instructed the organisers to withdraw the poster and cancel the event once it came to his attention.
“Premier Lesufi’s focus remains unequivocally on restoring good governance and public trust in Tembisa Hospital,” Mhlanga added.
Focus Shifts to Accountability
Mhlanga also reaffirmed the Premier’s commitment to implementing the SIU’s recommendations without delay.
“He has reiterated his commitment to ensuring that his office works closely with the Gauteng Department of Health to implement all recommendations contained in the recently released SIU interim report,” said Mhlanga.
“This includes ensuring that swift and decisive action is taken against all officials implicated in the report, in line with government’s commitment to accountability and clean administration.”
While the prayer event has been cancelled, questions remain about why such a symbolic initiative was planned in the first place — and whether it reflects a deeper reluctance to confront corruption head-on.
For many South Africans, including the Lethole family, the message is clear: justice must come in the form of arrests and reform — not public displays of repentance.
