Despite reports that an SIU lifestyle audit linked Lesiba Malotana, former Gauteng Health Head of Department, to around R1.6m connected to alleged looting at Tembisa Hospital, Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko called her “the best the department has ever had” – Sunday Times 98 Feb 2026)
Meanwhile, Malotana has returned to work after a 60-day precautionary suspension expired and disciplinary charges were laid, with hearings continuing and officials redeployed as investigation risks eased. The case links to wider controversy around alleged efforts to install him as HOD, a disputed R3.7m claim by predecessor Nomonde Nolutshungu, and tensions over leadership stability.
At the same time, the MEC denies hospital overcrowding, citing bed purchases, clustering, and referral systems, while criticising media coverage and proposing limits on hospital photography. Together, governance disputes, staffing shifts, and messaging concerns raise broader questions about accountability, patient experience, and public trust in Gauteng’s health system.