How stolen ID was used to loot Tembisa Hospital, buy mansion

Four months after illegally registering a shell company using a stolen ID, Oscar Nobungwana, 33, received almost R8m from a businessman allegedly at the centre of a syndicate linked to the looting of R2bn from Tembisa Hospital.

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) alleges that Stefan Joel Govindraju, the businessman, had 73 companies doing business with the hospital. The investigators allege that Govindraju had ties with Nobungwana’s mother, Nkosazana, who worked at the institution as a chief supply chain clerk and vetting committee member.

She is believed to have used her position to channel more than R10.8m in contracts to Govindraju’s firms and received kickbacks in return. The companies did not meet certain criteria and were not even registered with the medicine regulator, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority.

On Thursday the SIU announced that it had been granted preservation orders to freeze Nkosazana’s R1.8m pension as well as a R6.3m mansion at Midstream Estate in Centurion bought by her son in September 2021.

The SIU said Govindraju paid R3.9m in May 2021 and another R3.6m later to Mabitwa Trading, a company Nobungwana registered in January 2021.

Sowetan has now established that Nobungwana allegedly stole the ID of a person close to his family in Tembisa and used it to register Mabitwa Trading and later created a bank account for the company. He used these to channel funds to buy the mansion.

The victim told investigators that she did not know about the company created in her name and the house bought through it.

“She [ID theft victim] only found out last year when we contacted her. She was only 23 years old and unemployed when her ID was stolen and used without her knowledge.

“She is [now] employed and earns about R14,000 a month. She does not own a house or a car, yet there is an R7m house in her name in Centurion, which she has nothing to do with,” said a source.

The SIU’s investigation vindicated the woman, saying she was a victim of a scam.

“A Nedbank account was used to buy the mansion and the victim banks with Capitec Bank. She also lives far from Centurion. We suspect that Nobungwana had access to her ID and then colluded with his mother and used the proceeds to enrich themselves and buy the property,” said the source.

Nobungwana is the director of Amatibe Holdings, and he allegedly registered Mabitwa Trading to receive kickbacks from Govindraju.

According to the SIU, his mother Duduzile has cost the state about R10.8m.

Duduzile started at the hospital as a general assistant in 1992 and resigned in the middle of a disciplinary hearing in 2024, according to the SIU.

The SIU linked her to a major procurement network at the hospital known as “Syndicate X”.

SIU spokesperson Selby Makgotho said the SIU investigation revealed that Nobungwana, who served in several key positions at the hospital, allegedly played a central role in the irregular adjudication and appointment of suppliers.

“She is alleged to have received undisclosed, undue gratification from certain suppliers, thereby violating her duties without disclosing it to her employer.

The SIU also revealed that “Syndicate X” is linked to Govindraju. Investigators found that Govindraju is the director of at least 75 companies, 73 of which were allegedly irregularly appointed at Tembisa Hospital.

The entities reportedly secured 1,237 contracts through a three-quote procurement process that allegedly failed to comply with procurement regulations.

“The SIU’s probe revealed that the Govindraju-linked suppliers allegedly received total payments of approximately R596,424,356.10 arising from these contracts, which are considered highly irregular and non-compliant.”

The SIU further identified about R100m in payments from the alleged Govindraju syndicate to former and current Tembisa Hospital officials involved in supply chain management, which are suspected of constituting undue gratification.

Due to the property preservation order, Duduzile or her son will not be able to sell or transfer ownership of the house. Her pension benefits held by the Government Employees Pension Fund and administered by the Government Pensions Administration Agency will also not be paid out until all investigations are complete and she is not found guilty.

Makgotho said that Duduzile’s alleged misconduct contributed to irregular expenditure of at least R5.1m and damages of approximately R13.6m to the state."

The unit added that the preserved pension benefits may form part of the asset pool used to compensate the public purse, subject to the tribunal’s final decision.

The SIU said evidence of criminal conduct uncovered during the investigation has been referred to the National Prosecuting Authority for further action.

Sowetan