WATCH | ‘Do I deal with him? No!’ — Ramaphosa distances himself after meeting Maumela

Ramaphosa

Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa has admitted that he knows alleged Tembisa Hospital corruption kingpin Hangwani Maumela, after meeting him outside his Sandhurst home in 2024 — contradicting earlier statements from his spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, who had denied any personal contact between the two.

Speaking in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), Ramaphosa clarified that while he was once married to Maumela’s aunt nearly five decades ago, he had never known or met Maumela until chance encounters during his morning walks in 2024.

Ramaphosa explained that the first meeting happened when Maumela greeted him while he was passing by his house.

“Yes, this matter has occupied the headlines for quite a number of days now. My spokesperson, Mr. Vincent Magwenya, addressed the media yesterday in response to what they said was a video and a photograph.”

Magwenya told the media on Monday that Ramaphosa had once been married to Hangwani Maumela’s aunt decades ago but stressed that Ramaphosa had never met or had any personal or business ties with Maumela.

He explained that a video recorded on 29 September 2023 — showing Ramaphosa walking with Deputy Minister Jomo Sibiya, DJ Tbo Touch, and Bishop Noel Jones — had been misinterpreted.

The footage did not show Maumela.

Meanwhile, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) recently raided Maumela’s home as part of efforts to recover assets linked to the R2 billion looting scandal at Tembisa Hospital.

Ramaphosa later clarified his relationship with Maumela, saying Magwenya’s statement focused mainly on the disputed photograph.

“Forty-seven years ago, I got married to his father’s sister – his aunt. We divorced 43 years ago. And when I said to Honorable John Steenhuisen in 2022, when he asked whether I knew him, I said I did not know him because I had never encountered him. I had never seen him. And that was gospel truth.”

“Now, later in 2023, as I was walking in the street in my neighbourhood, I walked past a house, as Mr. Magwenya said. I was walking past it on my way home.”

“As Mr. Magwenya said yesterday, I was walking with one of my colleagues, who was my then adviser, who is now a deputy minister, in the morning. I often say, when people ask to meet me, ‘Come at 6 o’clock. Walk with me.’ You get me for an hour and a half as we do our 10-kilometre walk or so.”

“So, I was walking with Mr. Sibiya, and as we were walking past a house, which I had seen under construction for some time, I kept asking, ‘Whose house is this?’ It is a massive house.”

“Walking there, a car comes past. I always mispronounce the person’s name – Tbo Touch, or something like that. He steps out of the car with another gentleman. He wants to talk to me, photograph me, etc. So we stop, and we stand against the wall of this large house – and that is where the photograph and video were taken. The allegation is that the person in the photograph is Maumela.”

“It was not Maumela. It was Mr. Tbo Touch and Mr. Jones from the United States, I later learned.”

“There was a brouhaha that I visited his home regularly. I walk past that house when I go on my walks.”

“Now, in 2024, that should be known because Magwenya focused on the photograph – I confirm that in 2024, while walking on that same street, a person came out of the house and greeted me. It was Maumela.”

“I often meet people and ask who they are. He said, ‘I am Hangwani Maumela.’ I said, ‘So you are the Maumela who is putting my name into disrepute.’ He smiled. I walked away from home.”

Later, during another walk with his daughter, he greeted Maumela’s mother, Mboneni Maumela, a former schoolmate.

The president insisted these were casual encounters and not evidence of any relationship or dealings.

The clarification follows media controversy over a video and photograph showing Ramaphosa walking near the property, which his office said featured DJ Tbo Touch and Bishop Noel Jones, not Maumela.

Ramaphosa expressed disgust at the corruption allegations against Maumela.

He praised the SIU’s efforts to recover stolen public funds, saying, “I am appalled. The SIU is reclaiming stolen money — we must support and applaud their efforts.”

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Compiled by Betha Madhomu

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