Govindraju arrest could finally expose Tembisa Hospital tender fraud kingpins

The arrest of Stefan Govindraju, the 37-year-old whose complex network of shell companies allegedly extracted more than R600 million from the Tembisa Hospital tender fraud scheme, is a seminal moment in this saga.

This particular R2.3 billion tender fraud has the hallmarks of scandal that some analysts allege has tentacles that spread from a looted township provincial hospital all the way up to the highest seat in the land, the presidency.

Govindraju is an unknown tender kingpin who appears to have struck a plea deal with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) which will, hopefully, lead to the arrest of the real masterminds behind the looting.

The murder of Gauteng health department auditor Babita Deokaran five years ago this month remains uppermost in the minds of many South Africans whenever the Tembisa Hospital tender fraud is mentioned.

Although six hitmen have been put behind bars for her murder, the masterminds behind the brutal act remain at large and this arrest might just be the cog that keeps the investigation into her murder turning.

But Govindraju’s arrest is important for another reason: it puts the focus back on why someone like Hangwani Maumela is still at large. Conspiracy theorists have been having a field day.

This past week, political affairs talk show host Clement Manyathela added his voice to the chorus of those who allege that the only reason Maumela is still not behind bars is because he has political protection.

See, Maumela is Hope Mudau’s nephew. The president was married to the now deceased Mudau more than 40 years ago and as conspiracy theorists want to make all the dots connect, they claim it is this connection that has offered him the protection that has kept him out of jail.

It does not help that the Asset Forfeiture Unit seized R326 million of his assets and he did not lift a finger to contest the seizure when given a chance, so in the minds of most, he’s “guilty as charged”.

So, logically they ask: why is he still free? Although many hate to admit it, being legal couch potatoes is South Africans’ primary hobby.

Everyone and their aunt knows exactly how all these public legal battles will pan out in court because they’ve watched enough real life legal drama, from Oscar Pistorius, the Zondo commission and now the Madlanga commission.

So, according to everyone, only political protection is keeping the looters of Tembisa Hospital free.

The president is not even afforded what everyone knows to be true: you cannot choose your family, as though he should have known 40 years ago that marrying into that family would land him here.

The NPA has botched enough cases over the years that in twisted logic, it might actually be better that Maumela and company have not been charged yet; their case has not been botched yet. And with that there remains a real chance that soon justice might still prevail.

Whilst Govindraju’s name might mean very little to many people right now, his arrest might just be what the NPA has been waiting for all along to make the move against the kingpins protected by the murder of Deokaran.

As for the conspiracy theories about the president and his nephew by marriage, he is damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t. Imagine the president shouting “arrest that man” and his order is carried out, it will confirm the conspiracy theories that he was offering him political protection.

But the same conspiracy theorists would be the first to scream that the president is interfering in the work of the NPA.