Alleged tender fraud, shock ‘death’ of contractor cloud R836m oxygen plants project 

Azarrah Karrim and Pieter-Louis Myburgh (Daily Maverick)

11 November, 2024

An obscure company that won a R428-million tender to bring life-saving healthcare equipment to public hospitals may have done so on the back of allegedly fraudulent documents.

Global Fund deploys inspectors to probe R800m health contract after ‘ghost contractor’ exposé

Azarrah Karrim

14 November, 2024

The Global Fund, one of the world’s largest health financiers, is sending its inspectors to South Africa in response to allegations of tender fraud linked to an R800-million contract it funded, exposed in a joint Daily Maverick and amaBhungane investigation.

Health DG, IDT CEO paved way for dodgy R836m oxygen plant contracts

Azarrah Karrim and Pieter-Louis Myburgh (Daily Maverick)

10 December, 2024

Signed appointment letters and related documents reveal that the National Department of Health’s (NDoH) top official and his counterpart at the Independent Development Trust (IDT) played key roles in an allegedly unlawful project to install oxygen plants at state hospitals.

IDT contractor embroiled in Health DG bribe allegations won highly suspect tender, new evidence shows

Azarrah Karrim

5 February, 2025

A trove of documents obtained by amaBhungane show how the Independent Development Trust (IDT) appointed a contractor embroiled in bribery allegations involving director general of the Department of Health Dr Sandile Buthelezi, despite obvious warning signs in the procurement process.

IDT mistrust: bid ‘manipulation’ in R436m road tenders brings Bulkeng back into spotlight

Azarrah Karrim

2 April, 2025

Signs of manipulation in award of R436m worth of road tenders, with largest going to Bulkeng, the company spotlighted in IDT health contract probe.

IDT Mistrust: Beleaguered IDT paid R33m to company belonging to CEO Tebogo Malaka’s family member

Azarrah Karrim

15 April, 2025

The beleaguered Independent Development Trust (IDT) paid a company directed by an apparent family member of CEO Tebogo Malaka over R33 million – mainly for school building projects – between 2011 and 2017.

IDT MISTRUST | Part 1: How minister Zikalala and his ‘comrade chair’ Mshengu nixed probes into CEO Malaka

Azarrah Karrim

30 May, 2025

NOTE: This series has been updated.

IDT MISTRUST | Part 2: Minister Zikalala’s ‘whitewash’ that secured IDT CEO Malaka her job

Azarrah Karrim

31 May, 2025

Former public works minister Sihle Zikalala lowballed the findings of an investigation he had commissioned, paving the way for Tebogo Malaka’s appointment as chief executive of the Independent Development Trust (IDT) despite her involvement in a R45-million lease scandal.

Revealed: Maziya’s share in tainted IDT oxygen tender ‘left as it was’ – despite health minister’s promise

Azarrah Karrim

29 October, 2025

A R152-million contract with the Maziya–On Site Gas Systems joint venture (JV) to supply hospital oxygen plants has quietly remained with the Independent Development Trust (IDT) – despite public assurances from health minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi that the entire tender.

Update following Moepathutse complaint to Press Ombud

amaBhungane

7 November, 2025

The amaBhungane series about the Independent Development Trust and former Minister Sihle Zikalala has been updated following a complaint by Moepathutse Property Investments.

Health director general, IDT clash over critical R1.6-billion hospital programme as contractor seeks minister’s intervention

Azarrah Karrim

18 December, 2025

The National Department of Health (NDOH) has launched a sweeping “due diligence investigation” into a series of hospital refurbishment projects that have already burned through millions in what may amount to irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure.