JOHANNESBURG - Police have urged the public to steer clear of Moderfontein Road in Tembisa following a cash-in-transit heist. It is understood that the criminals travelling in two vehicles blew up a cash van near Church Street on Monday morning. This is a developing story. More details to follow. Sections AVBOB celebrates a milestone by rewarding its members on a large scale JOHANNESBURG - The fire at the Tembisa Hospital has been contained and only one section of the hospital was affected READ: Patients evacuated as Tembisa Hospital's emergency unity up in flames A joint operations centre has been set up to manage the situation The fire broke out on Saturday in the hospital's emergency unit The cause of the fire is not yet clear as investigations are underway Home | South Africa Ekurhuleni mayor Alderman Nkosindiphile Xhakaza says the fire that broke out on Saturday afternoon at the Emergency Unit of Tembisa Hospital has been extinguished Firefighters and Gauteng Emergency Medical Services are still at the scene monitoring the situation Xhakaza says the cause of the fire is not yet known and there haven’t been any fatalities We have set up a joint operation center with all our disaster management teams and Gauteng teams What we can confirm is that the fire has been extinguished and everything is under control; there are no casualties There’s nobody who’s injured as a result of the fire The only section that was affected is the emergency section preliminary data is coming through; once it’s processed we will be able to communicate,” he explains WATCH: Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza gives an update on Tembisa Hospital fire The Gauteng Government and national MPs have not ruled out arson as a possible reason for the fires at Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital which is central to several fraud and corruption investigations and has called for the State Security Agency to investigate The two separate fires have also raised concern about the hospital’s safety protocols and emergency preparedness with MPs last week discovering – during an oversight visit – that the facility was only 79% compliant with Occupational Health and Safety prescripts Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said there had “been lots of wrong things happening so we just have to make sure there is no human element to it” chairperson of the national Portfolio Committee on Health said while the committee did not want to pre-empting the outcome of the investigation the starting of the fire in one of the busiest sections of the hospital creates a legitimate suspicion on the one hand and the unlinkage of the second fire to the first one equally creates suspicion on the other hand" The committee urged law enforcement agencies to expedite the investigation into the fires following its oversight visit to the hospital Dhlomo said the investigation must be expedited to ensure accountability and to guide preventative measures The first fire – last Saturday in the accident and emergency unit where 81 patients were being treated – completely disrupted services this one in the outpatients’ department and affecting the records room The adjacent pharmacy and eye clinic areas were also affected by smoke the portfolio committee noted that the hospital was at 79% compliance with Occupational Health and Safety prescripts before the fire SABC News reports that the Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC) said it would would be sending inspectors to probe the cause of the fire incidents at the hospital said there was an urgent need for a comprehensive assessment of the facility to ensure the safety of everyone who makes use of the facility “The office of health standard complaints will be dispatching a team of inspectors to conduct a risk-based inspection as a fact-finding and action to establish the circumstances surrounding the fire incidents this inspection will enable the OHSC to establish possible root causes and to make informed recommendations that are made to mitigate the risks of fire incidents.” The portfolio committee welcomed the intention of the Gauteng Department of Health to take over the function of infrastructure development and maintenance from the national Department of Public Works a& Infrastructure as a way of cost containment and to accelerate the implementation of projects the committe also cautioned against the "decision of delegating an unfunded responsibility of the provision of tertiary services to the Tembisa Hospital without capacitating and positioning the hospital for that responsibility A tertiary facility should ordinarily have a sound capacity and appropriately resourced to cope with advanced treatment demands" Another nurse said patients were confused at being sent from one part of the hospital to another as departments were moved “We cannot work efficiently… it’s frustrating Our psychological and emotional states were questionable already because of that a fire had ravaged parts of Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital another fire broke out in an unused parking area at the facility Gauteng Secretary of the Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA Bongani Mazibuko wondered whether the Health Department had learnt any lessons from Charlotte Maxeke “especially considering that the accident and emergency unit (at Tembisa) was recently renovated” but we are wondering how the fire could have spread so rapidly to the point of destroying the whole A&E unit,” Mazibuko said The Public Servants Association told Sowetan LIVE the hospital has been on the brink of collapse for months with internal reports highlighting cracked walls especially in high-risk areas like the casualty department Deputy Minister of Health Joe Phaahla said documents necessary for numerous ongoing fraud and corruption investigations were not affected by the blaze in the records room – that only patient records were affected Information which could be related to investigations would be more admin These are related to (outpatient) clinic records.” Acting hospital CEO Dr Rianna Louw confirmed to News24 that the documents in the burnt building were mostly digitised patient records who was flagged during the Babita Deokaran investigation News24 reported that Mthunzi was appointed as hospital boss despite critical red flags on his own declaration form and that the provincial health department had ignored their own rules to ensure he got the job he became a key actor in a contract extortion scheme first exposed by slain whistleblower Deokaran signing dodgy medical supply contracts with grossly inflated prices and based on forged documents Mthunzi died a year ago while on suspension and undergoing a disciplinary inquiry on 13 charges of misconduct The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has been probing dubious Tembisa Hospital contracts in parallel with a Hawks fraud and corruption investigation Phaahla said the two fires did not appear to be linked Louw said there was no CCTV footage of the area where the fire started The forensic teams also catalogued lost equipment so the hospital can procure replacements When questioned about the possibility of additional tender corruption in sourcing the new equipment Phaahla said because people manage the procurement processes he said the assistance of the SIU and financial audit committees should act as a deterrent to tender fraud “We have procurement regulations but acknowledge that they sometimes get abused.” Phaahla gave no timelines or expected costs for repairing the records room or the other wards damaged by the fire but said there would be more updates The DA in Gauteng has urged the Department to rebuild the fire-damaged sections “with speed and cost-effectiveness the party’s Jack Bloom wrote that relocating affected patients to other parts of the hospital had worsened the already severe overcrowding He said under no circumstances should the dysfunctional Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development (GDID) be involved in the rebuilding project that it was notorious for non-performing contracts such as occurred at Charlotte Maxeke where fire repairs had to be taken over by the National Health Department and the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) He called for a competent project team to be appointed that would work with the private sector to expedite the building work The DA would scrutinise the process closely to ensure that money was spent effectively and efficiently to benefit patients in the shortest time Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko and Head of Department Lesiba Malotana have a dismal track record in preventing corruption and inefficiency SowetanLIVE article – Spooks asked to probe Tembisa hospital fire (Restricted access) SABC News – OHSC to investigate Tembisa Hospital fires amid safety concerns Committee statement News24 article – Key documents not destroyed in Tembisa Hospital fire, says Phaahla after second blaze (Restricted access) Politics Web article – Tembisa Hospital fire repairs should be swift and corruption-free – Jack Bloom (Open access) Arson suspicion in second Charlotte Maxeke fire reignites concerns about its future Two fires in three days at Tembisa Hospital Deafening silence on Tembisa Hospital payments scandal – Jack Bloom What really happened in the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital fire Every week your advertisement will reach more than 48,000 South African health professionals, of whom around 37,000 are medical and dental practitioners in the state and private sectors. 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This surge comes as… [More] The ZaZiBoNa initiative to harmonise the regional registration of requirements for pharmaceutical products has saved time and costs for manufacturers and… [More] MedicalBrief is Africa’s authoritative weekly digest of medical matters both on the continent and around the world It brings you a succinct summary of the latest developments THEMBISA - Another fire has broke out at the Tembisa Tertiary Hopsital in Ekurhuleni This time at the hospital’s main Out Patient Department (OPD) adjacent to the Accident and Emergency Unit which burned over the past Easter weekend According to Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) spokesperson Motalatale Modiba fire fighters from the City of Ekurhuleni’s Fire Department are currently on site attending to the fire READ: Tembisa Hospital fire contained The incident follows just days after a fire broke out on Saturday in the hospital's emergency unit. The cause of the fire is not yet clear as investigations are underway. • Tembisa Hospital activated contingency plans following a fire over the weekend According to Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, the hospital underwent renovations in 2023. This included the fitting of new plumbing, vinyls, new toilets, doors and windows.She said the fire detection systems also worked adequately at the time of the fire. However, the Democratic Alliance (DA)'s Jack Bloom is now calling for accountability in the matter. "I think the health department must do a very urgent investigation, there must be consequences for any failures and if arson was involved, we must apprehend the culprits."Nkomo-Ralehoko added that the investigations would continue but the hospital would also continue to operate. says there is no link between the two fires that have burnt parts of the buildings in Tembisa Hospital a fire reportedly burned down the filing room READ: Another fire breaks out at Thembisa Hospital the two incidents left no injuries to any patients or staff The hospital remains a crime scene as forensic teams comb through the rubble to find the causes of the two separate fires The hospital's newly renovated accident and emergency unit went up in smoke on Saturday Although the hospital will not be accepting patients in the emergency ward the ward remains closed and patients are requested to go to nearby clinics for all emergency cases The DA in Gauteng is calling for intensive investigations into these fires Tembisa Hospital has been embroiled in corruption scandals in recent years READ: SIU given green light to probe Tembisa Hospital the DA is demanding a swift investigation into the possibility of arson Jack Bloom who is the party's shadow health MEC JOHANNESBURG - Sekhukhune United player Shaun Mogaila is appearing in court on Thursday morning The 29-year-old was involved in a motor vehicle accident that left a 9-year-old girl dead and one other person injured but later handed himself over to the police Authorities allegedly discovered bottles of alcohol and drugs at the scene of the accident 24 April 2025 – The Portfolio Committee on Health will tomorrow conduct an oversight visit to Tembisa and Rahima Moosa hospitals in the Gauteng Province The visit is part of the constitutional oversight role of Parliament over the executive The committee noted with sadness the recent two incidents of fire that severely hit Tembisa Hospital and leaving hundreds of people in Tembisa and nearby communities without healthcare services “It is important that the committee visits the hospital to get a thorough briefing on both fire incidents and to hear plans in place for the rebuilding of any damaged parts of the hospital and to return the hospital to its full functionality The committee is concerned about the trend of the burning of Gauteng based hospitals following the fire that broke at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in 2021 “We call on all the hospital administrations and all the key role-players to do everything possible to prevent the scourge of the continuation of the burning of hospitals,” said Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo The purpose of the visit to Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital is to assess the progress made in responding to findings and recommendations made in the report by the Health Ombud Furthermore the report mentions that the hospital fails to provide essential services that include blood bank The committee views the implementation of the Health Ombud recommendations as alfa and omega of all the efforts of returning the hospital to its former glory Dr Dhlomo said assessing the implementation of the recommendations at Rahima Moosa Hospital is one of the priorities of the committee’s oversight visit to the hospital especially given the critical service the hospital provides to the people of Gauteng the committee will hold an engagement with the MEC of Health in Gauteng to get the picture of the public healthcare in the province ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson please contact the committee’s Media Officer: E-mail: mmolepo@parliament.gov.za Parliament’s engagement in the P20 and G20 discussions ensures that global policies on trade and governance directly benefit South Africans and the broader African continent through parliamentary oversight eleanorebouw@gmail.com We should be very grateful that disaster management services were able to prevent a monstrous tragedy by the speedy evacuation of patients there is a history of drawn-out investigations and lack of consequences after previous hospital fires While arson has been identified as the cause of the devastating fire at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital five years ago the hospital CEO was not fired despite identified deficiencies in a report by the State Security Agency There has also been no progress in apprehending the arsonists none of Gauteng’s 37 public hospitals comply fully with the Occupational Health and Safety Act This is according to a recent Gauteng Health Department presentation to an oversight committee in the Gauteng Legislature Sixteen hospitals scored less than 75% OHS compliance mostly because of missing fire prevention and fire suppression equipment and lack of fire signage and escape lighting Tembisa Hospital only scored 72% OHS compliance the same as the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital despite their previous fire Tembisa Hospital has been mismanaged and looted by fishy contracts for years now A top-class CEO is urgently needed to ensure that full services are reinstated and measures are taken to alleviate the severe overcrowding that will be worsened by the fire The DA in Gauteng will push for full accountability and speedy efforts to fix Tembisa Hospital Democratic Alliance, registered non profit organisation in South AfricaReg No: 011-895 NPO At the time of the fire, 81 patients were at the unit awaiting help. Since then, 50 have been admitted to other units. In its efforts to maintain functionality despite the unit being closed, the hospital has repurposed other areas to cover all its services. During a walkabout, officials noted smoke exposure to other units. However, that is being monitored. Committee chairperson Ezra Letsoalo said the hospital had added four mobile units to ensure that patient care continued."Throughout the visit, the committee was reassured by the department’s proactive approach. A full inventory of undamaged equipment has been compiled, and collaboration with other tertiary institutions and local health care facilities is helping to bridge service gaps during the recovery."Letsoalo said a follow-up site visit would be conducted soon to determine progress. The Gauteng Health Department has encouraged new and first-time patients to make use of local clinics to access healthcare and only come to the Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital when they have been referred This follows two fires that engulfed the hospital’s accident and emergency unit and the main outpatient department (OPD) on Saturday and Wednesday Department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba said the hospital is still on ambulance divert for emergencies he said walk-in patients can be attended to Modiba said critical services are continuing in designated areas or departments within the hospital He said a help desk has been established to provide information and redirect patients and members of the public on-site “Members of the public whose family members are admitted at the hospital are still able to visit them This is as per the normal visiting hours of 2pm to 4pm using gate 4,” said Modiba Health Deputy Minister Dr Joe Phaahla and Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko visited the hospital to conduct a site visit following the two fires in less than a week Modiba said the cause of both fires was still under investigation by law enforcement agencies this afternoon reassured the public of the continuation of services This is despite the second fire incident at the hospital earlier on Wednesday morning “Firefighters from the City of Ekurhuleni’s Fire Department responded swiftly to the incident They effectively extinguished the fire in the morning they had already cleared the smoke in the main OPD area “It is important to indicate that the main OPD was already cordoned off And the power supply was isolated after the first fire incident on Saturday afternoon (19 April 2025) and there were no patients in the area at the time of the incident,” said Modiba “The smoke from the main OPD area unfortunately spread to the eye clinic and pharmacy nearby It has also affected the areas that were initially cleared from the Saturday fire [They include] the surgical outpatient department family medicine and the administration block These were meant to be the alternative Accident and Emergency service area,” said Modiba He said these areas are now undergoing a re-clearing process It involves air quality assessments and the issuing of new electrical certificates of compliance And it’s aimed at making them available for full use “The cause of both fire incidents is still under investigation by various law enforcement teams and regulators,” said Modiba Phaahla said arrangements have been made for all patients to continue receiving much-needed healthcare with minimal interruptions “The department appeals for calmness and patience during this time all patients receiving care at the hospital are safe There is a business continuity plan to enable the department to continue rendering health services Arrangements have been made to ensure that all patients continue to access the much-needed healthcare services And with minimal interruptions,” said Phaahla No fatalities nor injuries were reported as a result of Saturday afternoon’s fire Modiba said due to the rapid response of the hospital’s staff and emergency personnel all 81 patients at the unit were safely evacuated to secure areas within the hospital Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Tel: +27 11 268 6300 Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms & conditions and privacy policy Tembisa, South Africa (25 April 2025) – To make a real impact in the world, meaningful change needs to begin at home. As part of inspiring young people to take ownership of their environment, to create a greener world, WESSA took climate action where it matters most — in local communities Green Rising is a global initiative that aims to mobilise 10 million young people all over the world by 2025 to take concrete green actions advocating for more climate action or taking jobs in the green economy youngsters can contribute to adaptation to the devastating impacts of climate change and protection of their families and communities With this vision in mind and together with its partners WESSA’s youth champions and volunteers cleaned up Winnie Mandela Secondary School and the surrounding Tembisa community last week The collective effort also saw 10 indigenous trees planted contributing to long-term environmental sustainability “This is more than just a clean-up — it’s a powerful statement that young people are ready to lead the change and more sustainable spaces for all,” WESSA said The initiative is just one of the practical ways that our young people are being inspired to become climate champions “A huge thank you to every learner and volunteer who made this possible and those hands are not afraid to get dirty for the planet!” Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "a513d31048bea6d934b0598711b143b9" );document.getElementById("d2d9e305b5").setAttribute( "id" and website in this browser for the next time I comment Would you like to receive truly phenomenal inspirational and good thing stories right to your inbox Then subscribe to our weekly GoodThingsGuy newsletter today I accept GTG’s Privacy Policy GoodThingsGuy is the home of everything good and those are the things that really matter We believe that there is good news all around us and over 1 million readers a month agree with us GoodThingsGuy was officially launched on the 1 August 2015 in order to only promote good news inspirational stories and promote only positive multi-platform media company that distills unique content across multiple media platforms We consider individual and corporate contributions through the website or mail us directly here. Be sure you have your GPS enabled and try again Please check your email and enter your one time pin below: Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio “In terms of the fire which happened early today we need to state clearly that this was not a continuation of the fire on Saturday,” Deputy Health Minister Joe Phaahla said at the Tembisa Hospital on Wednesday Phaahla said the fires started in different areas of the hospital. Saturday’s fire affected the emergency unit while Wednesday’s was located in the outpatient section. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads whatever the forensics will find regarding what triggered the fire here we are of the view that unless proven otherwise what is apparent is that something else happened on the other side where the other fire started,” said Phaahla “The two areas are quite distinct,” he said Department of Health officials inspect the fire-damaged Tembisa Hospital He said that the area had already been cordoned off after the first fire on Saturday and the power supply had been switched off Hospital officials said there was no CCTV footage of the areas affected by the fires and that patient records had been damaged Phaahla said two cases had been opened for both fires and appealed for patience from locals as the hospital underwent repairs to restore services “Serious damage has happened where we have lost valuable equipment, but not a single person was injured during that period,” Phaahla said. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads DA Gauteng shadow MEC for health Jack Bloom called for an investigation into possible arson We need to know whether the security services are doing their job in preventing incidents like this “Are there tenderpreneurs who want to get the contracts for rebuilding the burnt sections This cannot be ruled out as we even have criminal syndicates who sabotage the water supply so they can benefit by providing water tankers,” said Bloom on Wednesday “Any foul play at Tembisa Hospital needs to be speedily identified and the culprits apprehended before further fires occur.” Government whistle-blower Babita Deokaran was investigating an alleged R1-billion in corrupt tenders related to Tembisa Hospital when she was assassinated in 2022. The murder case is currently in court In 2021, the Health Ombudsman found that patient Shonisani Lethole had died as a result of gross negligence at the hospital Read more: Hawks probe into Tembisa Hospital PPE tender scandal at ‘advanced stage’ following CEO death Phaahla said that while the fire on Saturday had been extinguished He said the new fire had also been contained Phaahla said ambulances were being diverted from Tembisa Hospital to nearby hospitals such as Tambo Memorial Hospital and Edenvale Hospital following the fires He said in terms of non-emergency patients a call had been made that those who can use other hospitals should do so and that visiting hours were still in effect for patients still in the hospital Eighty-one patients were evacuated in the blaze on Saturday He said the hospital management and the Gauteng government had ensured that services continued at the hospital He said his department was working with the Department of Labour in terms of the occupational safety measures to ensure that staff were safe and there was access to medication from the pharmacy The fires occurred after the hospital claimed during an Occupational Health and Safety audit presentation in March 2025 that it had improved from 72% to 79% compliance the compliance is poor,” the DA’s Bloom said ‘There has been long neglect of infrastructure; this is why the risk is elevated,” Bloom said Bloom said that according to the Gauteng Department of Health’s figures, none of its 37 public hospitals were fully compliant with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, with a particular weakness in fire safety measures.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads More than half a dozen Gauteng hospitals have been affected by fires in recent years, including Bheki Mlangeni District Hospital, Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Steve Biko Hospital, Helen Joseph Hospital and Carletonville Hospital.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Read more: Devastating Charlotte Maxeke hospital fire was an act of arson — police forensic report The Public Service Association (PSA) has repeatedly raised concerns over the state of Tembisa Hospital the union’s Stefan Viljoen said it warned “that the facility was on the brink of total collapse” and the fire was “a direct consequence of the hospital management’s failure to act on repeated warnings” inspectors from the Department of Employment and Labour issued an infringement notice to the hospital citing numerous occupational health and safety violations Management was given until the end of February 2025 to rectify the identified hazards there are ongoing investigations to establish the cause of both fires He said the department would rely on the work of forensic experts to establish the cause of the blaze But Bloom said there had been a complete lack of accountability for previous fires in Gauteng’s hospitals “There has been no accountability for other fires including the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital four years ago My view is that the CEO should have been fired and they haven’t caught [the] suspected arsonists,” said Bloom “We have to say most of our facilities are not fully compliant Many of our facilities are not compliant.” The PSA called for “the appointment of more labour inspectors as the Department of Employment and Labour is experiencing a staff shortage which impacts on the ability to conduct inspections at dilapidated and non-compliant buildings” ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " Firefighters and the Gauteng emergency management services have responded to a fire at Tembisa Hospital’s accident and emergency unit “The report that we have now is that all patients who were at the accident emergency unit have been safely evacuated to a safer area within the hospital We will share an update later on once we have collected more information,” says Gauteng Health Department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi says emergency teams are attending to a fire at Tembisa Hospital Reports say the accident and emergency unit of the hospital is affected by the fire The premier has posted on X that he will provide a full update later Our teams are attending to the fire situation at Tembisa Hospital. A full update will be provided later pic.twitter.com/xRNvwNoNTB — Panyaza Lesufi (@Lesufi) April 19, 2025 “The Gauteng Department of Health can confirm that a fire has broken out at Tembisa Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit Currently firefighters and Gauteng EMS are on site attending to the situation.” — Gauteng Health (@GautengHealth) April 19, 2025 A joint project by the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements and the City of Ekurhuleni that was supposed to deliver over 3 000 full subsidy and social housing units in Hospital View in Tembisa has been abandoned for almost five years With a backlog of over 1.3 million units in Gauteng this project would have provided much-needed relief for accommodation to residents Former Ekurhuleni MMC for Human Settlements Cllr Lesiba Mpya had assured residents on 19 November 2020 that the project would be completed by June 2021 the 58ha site resembles an aftermath of a war zone currently with the four-storey buildings having been stripped of roofs ActionSA is alarmed at the nonchalance of both the Human Settlements and the City over the stalling of such a critical project for such a long period of time We demand that both the City and Department take the residents into confidence on the following: • What led to the project stalling • What is being done to resuscitate the project • How much had been spent on the project before being abandoned • Have there been any investigations into the awarding of the tender contractor’s performance and/ or payments to the contractor • What measures have been done to ensure that project abandonment don’t happen in the future ActionSA implores both the Department and the City to take urgent and decisive action to remedy this dire situation Consequence management should be instituted against parties that are found not to have executed their responsibilities accordingly These are just some of the reasons that have led ActionSA to call for the introduction of the Public Budget Transparency Portal to track projects’ implementation This Portal would be accessible to all members of the public through their gadgets in real time where the public will be able to check who is the contractor of the project how much has been spent on it and how that project has benefited the intended beneficiaries The most vulnerable of our society already face hardships with unbearable socio-economic conditions they are subjected to and cannot afford to have an uncaring government failing to provide them with the dignity of home ownership ActionSA will continue seeking answers on the stalling of this project at both the Gauteng Legislature and Ekurhuleni Council until beneficiaries are allocated their units The Gauteng Department of Health has confirmed that the City of Ekurhuleni’s fire department responded to another fire incident at the Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital’s main out patient department (OPD) Gauteng Health Department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba confirmed the incident He said the fire occurred on Wednesday morning This is just four days after Saturday’s fire incident “The Gauteng Department of Health can confirm that the fire fighters from the City of Ekurhuleni’s fire department are currently on site attending to what looks like another fire incident at the Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital’s main out patient department “The area is adjacent to the accident and emergency unit which burned on Saturday night (April 19 2025) More details will be shared later as the matter is being investigated,” said Modiba National Health Department spokesperson Foster Mohale said Deputy Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla Gauteng Health Department MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko and health officials are expected to visit Tembisa hospital on Wednesday afternoon The visit is to establish the extent of the damage caused by the fire incidents They will also determine how the national office could support the province to lessen the impact on access to essential healthcare the hospital’s accident and emergency unit caught fire No fatalities nor injuries were reported as a result of the fire incident all 81 patients at the accident and emergency unit were safely evacuated to secure areas within the hospital He said firefighters from the City of Ekurhuleni and Gauteng emergency services were able to contain the fire Modiba said they assessed the extent of the immediate physical damage They are reassessing and recounting the patients that were at the affected area He emphasised that only the accident and emergency unit was affected Modiba said the cause of the fire remains under investigation The public will be updated on any developments about the situation The accident and emergency unit remains closed until further notice It will remain closed until the area’s infrastructure is restored and repaired He said the hospital is not taking any new patients while the hospital remains on divert for ambulances Modiba said various services will continue to be rendered at the hospital Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content Fundudzi Media (Pty) Ltd. All rights reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms & conditions and privacy policy. The Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC) says it will be sending inspectors to probe the cause of the fire incidents at Tembisa hospital in Gauteng’s Eastrand The fires, which happened days apart, have brought into question the hospital’s safety protocols and emergency preparedness. OHSC’s Chief Operations Officer, Mathabo Mathebula, says there’s an urgent need for a comprehensive assessment of the facility to ensure the safety of everyone who makes use of the facility. “The office of health standard complaints will be dispatching a team of inspectors to conduct a risk-based inspection as a fact-finding and action to establish the circumstances surrounding the fire incidents. Considering that the winter season is on, this inspection will enable the OHSC to establish possible root causes and to make informed recommendations that are made to mitigate the risks of fire incidents.” Meanwhile, the Health Portfolio Committee chairperson, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo says they are still waiting for a full report as investigations are continuing into the cause of fire that damaged parts of the Tembisa Tertiary Hospital in Ekurhuleni earlier this week. No casualties were reported in both incidents. This has led to the diversion of some of the emergency services to nearby health facilities. Dr Dlomo says, “The investigations are still going on. But somebody could suspect an element of arson in this place. And therefore, we will await the report. And take it from there. We are actually very happy with what we have received. Both from the MEC and the acting head of trauma, Dr Kim.” JOHANNESBURG - Deputy Health Minister Joe Phaahla has reassured the public that services at Tembisa Hospital will continue after a second fire at the facility's main outpatient department.The area was already cordoned off after a fire on Saturday and no patients were present when Wednesday’s blaze broke out Lesufi fails residentsIssued by Refiloe Nt’sekhe MPL – DA Constituency Head- Tembisa15 Apr 2025 in Press StatementsTembisa residents continue to live in fear of increasing serious crimes despite Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s crime-fighting initiatives which include the Gauteng Crime Wardens (Amapanyaza) The DA Gauteng will write to Premier Lesufi demanding urgent intervention on the state of crime in this township and the low conviction rate of offenders 72 murder cases were reported in Tembisa in the first three quarters of the 2024/25 financial year of these 31 cases went to court and there were zero convictions in the first three quarters of the 2024/2025 financial year 812 cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) were recorded in Tembisa Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi revealed this information in a reply to the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) questions in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) Premier Lesufi boasted during his State of the Province Address (SOPA) that the appointment of crime wardens is already yielding positive results in the fight against crime Tembisa residents are not safe from serious crime which raise concerns about the effectiveness of these wardens the low conviction rate in Tembisa’s crime statistics suggests the lack of coordination and collaboration between the South African Police Services (SAPS) and prosecuting authorities responsible for bringing perpetrators to justice A DA-led Gauteng government would ensure that police stations are adequately equipped to address crime effectively We would also enhance cooperation among the police and prosecuting authorities to ensure that reported crimes are prosecuted JOHANNESBURG - An elderly stroke patient is among dozens left in limbo after two fires broke out at Tembisa Hospital leaving questions about when or if they’ll receive the care they desperately need another blaze erupted in the outpatient section destroying an unconfirmed number of patient files Ekurhuleni Emergency Services moved quickly to contain the flames and launched efforts to recover whatever documentation they could from the charred remains and it’s the patients who are paying the price ALSO READ: Tembisa Hospital hit by another fire Outpatients, in particular, are bearing the brunt. Still reeling from the weekend fire, many arrived early on Wednesday morning, only to be sent from pillar to post as hospital staff scrambled to restore services. Alfred Maseka (77), who suffered a stroke on Friday, says the experience has been nothing short of a nightmare. “Well, I was admitted on Friday, but I came yesterday, no help, Monday no help, Sunday no help. They said certain sections of the hospital are operational, but we don’t see that.” Deputy Health Minister Joe Phaahla and Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko are expected to brief the media shortly on the extent of the damage and a possible way forward. JOHANNESBURG - The Gauteng government has been accused of turning a blind eye to the alleged misuse of funds set aside for the establishment of a drug rehabilitation centre in Tembisa. For the 2018/2019 financial year, the Gauteng government set aside R20 million for the planning phase of the rehab facility, but more than R34 million has since been spent. Social Development MEC Faith Mazibuko told the provincial legislature that the funds were spent on quantity surveying, construction project management and town planning. Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng Legislature member Refiloe Nt’sheke is calling for accountability. “They’ve basically spent R34 million on a contractor to plan from 2018 to 2025. Nothing has actually been erected, but R34 million has been spent. I cannot even begin to explain how this is not value for money, and I believe the residents of Gauteng deserve better from this government.” The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng is demanding a swift investigation into the recent fire at Tembisa Hospital and consequences for any failures that may have contributed to the incident over the weekend. The DA expressed concerns that are amplified by a history of inadequate investigations and lack of accountability following previous hospital fires. Notably, the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital caught fire years ago. According to the DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health Jack Bloom, a recent Gauteng Health Department presentation revealed that none of the province’s public hospitals fully comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, with fire safety being a major concern. He stated that Tembisa Hospital and Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital both scored only 72% in Occupational Health and Safety compliance, with many hospitals lacking essential fire prevention and suppression equipment. Meanwhile, Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has commended the swift response of the Ekurhuleni Emergency Management Team and firefighters after the fire broke out. A total of 74 patients were safely evacuated to another unit at the hospital. No casualties were reported. VIDEO | Authorities provide update on Tembisa hospital fire incident: JOHANNESBURG - Building infrastructure and high-tech equipment have been affected by the fire that broke out at Tembisa Hospital's accident and emergency unit Gauteng's health department said that Saturday's blaze impacted 81 patients an update from the initial 58 that were previously reported While no injuries or fatalities were recorded two patients were moved to intensive care and one to high care READ: Gauteng Health MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko says all services at Tembisa Hospital are fully operational Fifty patients were admitted to other wards, 17 were transferred to nearby hospitals, and seven were discharged. Head of department, Lesiba Malotana, addressed the media on Sunday, confirming that the cause of the fire is still under investigation. He said the hospital remains operational, with contingency plans in place: "The area that is identified for contingency is just down the road in the same area so that the same services can be provided, it's less than 50 metres away. What we are worried about is that there's equipment, high-tech equipment, and the roof will have been damaged," said Malotana.