Ramaphosa Confirms He Knows Alleged Tembisa Hospital Looting Figure Hangwani Maumela

President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged that he knows alleged Tembisa Hospital corruption suspect Hangwani Maumela, following a chance meeting outside his Sandhurst residence in 2024.

The president made the admission during a National Council of Provinces (NCOP) question-and-answer session on Tuesday. This comes after his spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, had told reporters on Monday that Ramaphosa had never met Maumela and had no personal or business ties with him.

In response to a question from ANC NCOP member Onica Dipuo Modupi about his relationship with Maumela, Ramaphosa explained:

“Yes, this matter has occupied the headlines for quite a number of days now. My spokesperson, Mr Vincent Magwenya, addressed the media yesterday in response to what they said was a video and a photograph.”

Clarifying the Connection and Family History

Magwenya had earlier clarified that while Ramaphosa was once married to Maumela’s aunt decades ago, he had no personal relationship with Maumela himself. The video in question, recorded on 29 September 2023, showed Ramaphosa walking with Deputy Minister Jomo Sibiya, DJ Tbo Touch, and Bishop Noel Jones — not Maumela.

Ramaphosa elaborated that his former marriage to Maumela’s aunt ended 43 years ago and that he had not met Maumela until 2024.

“Forty-seven years ago, I got married to his father’s sister — his aunt. We divorced 43 years ago… When I said in 2022 that I did not know him, that was gospel truth.”

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The President recounted that during one of his morning walks in 2024, he met Maumela, who introduced himself.

“He said, ‘I am Hangwani Maumela.’ I said, ‘So you are the Maumela who is putting my name into disrepute.’ He smiled. I walked away home.”

Ramaphosa added that he later greeted Maumela’s mother, Mboneni Maumela, whom he knew from his school days, during another walk in December 2024.

“That is the sum total of it all. I do not deal with him. I do not visit his house. I have merely encountered him.”

SIU Crackdown on Tembisa Hospital Corruption

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) recently raided Maumela’s home as part of a probe into the alleged looting of over R2 billion at Tembisa Hospital. The investigation uncovered three syndicates linked to the large-scale corruption.

The president expressed his dismay at the allegations, praising the SIU’s efforts to recover stolen public funds.

“I am appalled. As I walk past that house, I know the house was allegedly built with money not properly acquired — money that should have been spent on the health of our people.”

“The SIU has taken action, and I applaud them. We are making progress. The Special Investigating Unit is reclaiming stolen money — we must support and applaud their efforts.”

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