In a decisive move that has sent political shockwaves across Gauteng, Premier Panyaza Lesufi has suspended the province’s Head of the Department of Health and Wellness, Lesiba Arnold Malotana, following a damning Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into tender corruption and alleged bribes totaling R11 million. The suspension comes amid a widening scandal linked to the troubled Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital, where corruption has already siphoned billions from public coffers.
Malotana, appointed to the critical health portfolio in June 2025 despite prior allegations, is now under investigation for his role in two suspect contracts from 2016 and 2017. The SIU alleges he manipulated supply chain procedures to benefit medical supplier BAS Medxpress (BAS Med). One contract, a R31 million tender for plastic food containers supplied to the Masakhane Laundry and Cook-Freeze Factory, reportedly earned Malotana and two senior officials a kickback of more than R8 million. A second deal, involving orthopaedic equipment, is said to have secured an additional R3 million bribe.
The controversy extends beyond the corruption claims. Malotana’s qualifications for the HOD position—which required a master’s degree—are now under review by the Public Service Commission. Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng leader Jack Bloom has accused Premier Lesufi of appointing Malotana despite “publicly known” SIU investigations, calling the decision “outrageous” and demanding a full departmental overhaul to combat “deep-seated corruption” that harms patient care.
In a terse official statement, Lesufi affirmed his government’s “full support” for the SIU and law enforcement agencies, vowing to “root out maladministration” and restore public trust. Dr. Darion Barclay, former head of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, has been appointed as acting HOD to ensure service continuity.
Reached for comment outside his Midrand home, Malotana offered a cryptic denial: “I was just taking a walk. It was just a coincidence. I don’t know him.” The remark, interpreted by many as a reference to a key figure in the probe, has fueled speculation across social media.
The suspension marks a critical moment for Gauteng’s embattled health system, which has been rocked by SIU revelations of R2 billion in graft at Tembisa Hospital alone. While Lesufi has pledged open tenders and whistleblower protections, opposition parties and civil society remain skeptical, warning that without systemic reform, such scandals will continue to erode public trust in governance and service delivery.
