NPA Secures Final Forfeiture Order in Thembisa Hospital Corruption Case Against Hangwane Maumela

• The NPA obtained a final forfeiture order linked to a corruption syndicate that looted the Gauteng Department of Health
• Cover companies submitted fraudulent bids to funnel public funds toward bribes, assets, and lavish personal spending
• South Africans have called on the NPA to arrest Hangwane Maumela, questioning why forfeiture has not led to criminal charges

GAUTENG — The National Prosecuting Authority has secured a final forfeiture order against assets linked to a corruption syndicate implicated in large-scale looting of Thembisa Hospital, with public attention turning to whether an arrest of key figure Hangwane Maumela will follow.

The NPA announced the development on 20 July 2026. National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Adv. Andy Mothibi stated that the case was part of a broader commitment to accountability in the healthcare sector.

How the syndicate operated

According to the NPA, the scheme relied on cover-quoting companies to submit fraudulent bids that artificially favoured entities controlled by the syndicate. Proceeds from the resulting contracts were used to acquire assets, pay bribes, and sustain extravagant lifestyles, with very little of the stolen money directed toward the actual delivery of services. The scheme directly undermined healthcare access for ordinary South Africans.

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Adv. Mothibi said the case demonstrated the human cost of corruption.

"The pursuit of justice for the people of South Africa continues — our people become victims of crime and corruption when they face inadequate healthcare," he said in the official statement.

Deputy NDPP and head of the Asset Forfeiture Unit, Adv. Chuma Mtengwane confirmed that all recovered proceeds would be deposited into the Criminal Asset Recovery Account and ringfenced specifically for the Gauteng Department of Health.

Read the statement on X here:

The public demands an arrest

The announcement drew sharp criticism from South Africans who questioned whether the forfeiture order amounted to meaningful accountability without a criminal prosecution.

@Bavaria22426300 wrote:

"How does NPA conduct its business? If you manage to be granted a final forfeiture order, surely the owner must have committed the crime? When is he getting arrested? This is all a public stunt to be seen doing something, in reality letting criminals free."

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@Dzungie007 asked:

The country's treasure. When are you gonna arrest him?"

@Lesciba commented:

"He's well protected. Nothing will happen to him. NPA and the judiciary remain captured anyway."

@MoloiThabisoo wrote:

"Arrest that man. Are you afraid of Hangwani?"

Senior official's assets seized

In a related article, Briefly News reported on the Special Investigating Unit's recent actions against Duduzile Nkosazana Nobungwana, a former supply chain clerk at Tembisa Hospital, who is linked to a major corruption probe involving significant asset freezes. This scandal reveals a complex web of corruption, where the hospital lost R2 billion due to illicit activities, prompting urgent efforts to reclaim stolen funds.

Source: Briefly News