Cyril Ramaphosa denies knowing his nephew

President Cyril Ramaphosa has, for the first time, denied knowing Hangwani Morgan Maumela, his nephew from a previous marriage, who scored close to R400 million from public hospitals in dodgy tenders.

On Thursday, Ramaphosa was in the National Assembly to respond to questions from MPs.

DA leader John Steenhuisen asked Ramaphosa about broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) schemes and the impact it has had so far.

“The Zondo Commission showed that BBBEE has been central to corruption in South Africa. Whether it is the R14 billion PPE corruption in Covid-19 or the billions stolen at Eskom. A recent example, one of your own nephew’s companies scored R381 million from Gauteng hospitals. You are right. It does not benefit the majority. It only benefits ANC-connected cronies.

“It does so at the expense of everyone else, particularly the black South Africans who remain trapped in poverty,” Steenhuisen said

Steenhuisen also referred to Eskom board member Mteto Nyati’s comments on BBBEE.

Responding to Steenhuisen, Ramaphosa said: “You keep saying, my nephew. I don’t even know this gentleman. So, let’s not even get there. I don’t know him.”

Details of the dodgy transactions were revealed by Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko in response to questions submitted by DA Gauteng health spokesperson Jack Bloom.

In her answers to the Gauteng legislature last month, Nkomo-Ralehoko said 12 companies – linked to Maumela and his relative Aluwani Titus Maumela – received payments worth R381 million from the Department of Health since April 2019.

A purchase order report, attached as an addendum, showed that Tembisa Hospital ordered 50 flat-bottomed round bowls at a cost of R496 555 on 25 May 2020 from Sunshine Gauteng Trading, registered under Aluwani.

On 27 September 2021, Tembisa Hospital ordered 50 stainless steel kidney dishes at R456 960 from Major Goods Suppliers, registered under Hangwani, the MEC’s response showed.

From the 12 companies, Hangwani is a director of nine, while Aluwani controls the other three, according to a previous News24 investigation.

Based on detailed information that Nkomo-Ralehoko furnished, Bloom said R356 million in payments came from Tembisa Hospital, R22 million from Mamelodi Hospital, and R2.4 million from a number of other hospitals.

On the matter of BBBEE, Ramaphosa said: “Broad-based black economic empowerment, affirmative action and other transformation policies were introduced to address the imbalances created by years of apartheid misrule in our country.

“While progress has been made in empowering black people and women in the economy, the benefits of this progress have not been felt by all South Africans. These policies are not only about justice and historical redress.”