3 National Health Department Officials Arrested for Corruption in Tshwane Released on Bail

Published 2 Mar 2026 at 3:57 PM

by Tebogo Mokwena

3 min read

The Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court granted three senior government officials who were arrested
The suspects, who included the National Department of Health’s director-general, were arrested for corruption
The suspects also included a deputy director-general, and their case was postponed

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Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk, South Africa, covered a range of criminal activities, including cash-in-transit heists, kidnappings, taxi violence, shootings, police investigations, police shootouts, and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

Three government officials who were arrested in Pretoria were granted bail — South Africans were not impressed by three government officials who were released on bail. Images: naruecha jenthaisong and Jacob Wackerhausen
Source: Getty Images

PRETORIA — Three senior National Department of Health officials were released on R10,000 bail each after being arrested in Pretoria on 2 March 2026. The officials will be back in court in June.

According to the South African Police Service, Dr Sandile Buthelezi, the Department of Health’s director-general, Dr Malixole Mahlathi, the deputy director-general for tertiary health and hospital services, and acting head and deputy director-general for corporate services, and the Chief Financial Officer, Phineas Phaswa Mamogale, are expected to return as they were investigated for allegedly rewarding a tender of over R1 million in 2023.

South Africans react to the case

Netizens discussed the case on Facebook.

Teresa Calitz remarked:

“These people get massive salaries, but still steal! Greed will be the end of them.”

Oum Manguena was happy.

“With crooked Sibiya, Julius Mkhwanazi, Senona, and others out, more arrests like these will be made. They can no longer protect their friends. Good job, South African Police Service.”

Morrison Nkosinathi Songca said:

“It’s up to the Department of Justice to decide on the next course of action.”

Tsholofelo Sebokolodi observed:

“Almost every government or business dealing in South Africa involves fraud and corruption. Law enforcement should have their hands full this year, exposing and arresting. People need to stop stealing.”

Malome Nongphatshwa said:

“The constitution of this country renders law enforcement agencies weak.”

Netizens also commented on News24 journalist Jeff Wicks’ X tweet.

Clan Destine asked:

“Do the Hawks ever arrest anyone except government officials? The SIU is only busy with lawbreakers from the government.”

3 Briefly News stories about Hawks arrests

Minenhle Mthembu, a 30-year-old, was arrested in KwaZulu-Natal and charged with conspiracy to murder for the 2022 death of whistleblower Marumo Phenya. Mthembu was hiding in Mtubatuba and made a brief court appearance on 12 February.
Three suspects were arrested on the N2 near the Coega Industrial Area on 26 February 2026 for attempting to bribe police officers with R19,500. The three suspects were stopped during a roadblock and tried to bribe the officers after the cops found that the vehicle’s license disc and registration plates did not correspond with the vehicle’s description.
A total of 38 people were released on a combined bail of over R1 million after the Hawks arrested them on 22 February 2026. The suspects were accused of issuing tenders amounting to R114 million within the Mpumalanga Department of Education.