The Democratic Alliance (DA) has lashed out at Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and the African National Congress (ANC), accusing the party of exploiting the Tembisa Hospital corruption scandal for political gain.

In a statement released yesterday, DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga described the provincial government’s plan to host a: “Prayer Day for Tembisa Hospital” as a cynical attempt to distract from the findings of a Special Investigating Unit report, which revealed that about R2 billion had been stolen through fraudulent contracts at the hospital. The report also linked the corruption to the 2021 murder of whistleblower Babita Deokoran.

Msimanga said it was: “disgusting” for the ANC to organise a prayer event for a hospital: “that your own cadres helped plunder,” calling the move: “a new low – even for the ANC.” He argued that the gesture insulted both the victims of the graft and the principles of religion, adding that residents of Tembisa: “need action and they need the truth.”

Following a public backlash, the provincial government reportedly postponed the event, later claiming the: “Prayer Day” had been misrepresented as fake news – a move the DA said was another act of deception.

Msimanga urged Lesufi to release the results of lifestyle audits he admitted were conducted on senior officials in the Gauteng Department of Health and to ensure a full investigation into those implicated.

“The only way to determine who truly belongs behind bars is through a full investigation and thorough lifestyle audits of all implicated individuals – regardless of whether they still hold office,” Msimanga said.