KEY POINTS
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Thembinkosi Manqunyana, a hospital groundsman, allegedly confessed to two arson attacks at Tembisa Hospital and implicated the head of security; his bail hearing was delayed pending prosecutorial guidance.
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The April fires severely impacted emergency and outpatient services, raising alarms about the hospital’s safety and operational integrity.
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Police anticipate more arrests as investigations deepen, amid growing public concern over governance and security at Gauteng health facilities.
Thembinkosi Manqunyana, a 48-year-old groundsman employed at Sizwe Tropical Diseases Hospital in Johannesburg, appeared briefly at the Tembisa Magistrate’s Court on Monday in connection with two devastating fires that damaged key sections of Tembisa Hospital in April.
Arrested on May 9 while on duty at his workplace, Manqunyana faces charges of arson and malicious damage to the Tembisa Hospital property. His legal representative, Xolani Pangwa, confirmed the arrest and maintained that the accused had no prior convictions.
The fires, which broke out on April 19 and again on April 23, wreaked havoc at the Tembisa hospital’s accident and emergency unit.
Patients requiring outpatient and chronic care services were left stranded, with Tembisa hospital operations brought to a near standstill. Essential services were disrupted for days, raising concerns about healthcare infrastructure resilience and safety in public hospitals.
Confession implicates Tembisa hospital’s head of security
During Monday’s court proceedings, the matter was postponed until Friday to allow the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to determine under which schedule of the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA) the alleged offences fall. The outcome will directly impact whether Manqunyana is eligible for bail.
Pangwa argued that the alleged offence should be categorized as a Schedule 1 offence, noting that this classification generally includes less severe crimes and allows for more lenient bail conditions. “It [arson] is written in black and white [as a schedule one offence] in the CPA [Criminal Procedure Act], and this is his first case,” said Pangwa. He added that the postponement was deeply concerning for Manqunyana’s family. “It will affect him negatively. He has a family and kids who depend on him, so a week’s postponement is a lot,” he stated.
Police sources have confirmed that Manqunyana allegedly provided a detailed confession to authorities. According to a report sent to Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, the accused admitted to planning the act, purchasing petrol, and setting the fires.
Sowetanlive reports that he also allegedly implicated the hospital’s head of security in the plot, suggesting that the blaze was not the result of a lone actor.
“More arrests are imminent as the investigation continues,” said Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo, police spokesperson. He added that Manqunyana’s apprehension followed an investigation spearheaded by a special team of detectives appointed by Gauteng provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni.
The Gauteng Department of Health has faced intense scrutiny since the incident, with public sector unions and health advocacy groups warning that the fire is symptomatic of deeper structural failures. The Public Servants Association (PSA) has described the incident as a “warning that the hospital is on the brink of collapse.”
This is not the first fire reported at Tembisa Hospital in recent times. An earlier blaze prompted the Gauteng government to involve the State Security Agency, seeking to determine whether the fires were part of a larger act of sabotage or negligence.
As the legal process unfolds, questions linger about the extent of internal involvement, oversight failures, and the broader security protocols in place at public hospitals across the province.
The case returns to court on Friday, when the decision by the DPP could pave the way for a formal bail application or further postponements.
