The Democratic Alliance (DA) led a picket outside Tembisa Hospital in Ekurhuleni on Friday morning, where the party protested against alleged corruption and the perceived lack of action by the Gauteng Department of Health.

It follows a News24 investigation into murdered whistleblower Babita Deokaran's probe of possible fraudulent transactions at the hospital.

Deokaran had flagged around R850-million in dubious payments, and raised the matter with her superiors before she was murdered outside her home in August 2021.

"It's nearly three weeks, three weeks now, since there was strong evidence made public that murdered whistleblower Babita Deokaran was scared for her life after she identified about R850-million in possibly fraudulent – that was her phrase – payments by Tembisa Hospital…" said DA spokesperson Jack Bloom outside the hospital.

With no confirmation of investigations into the purchases made by the hospital, through suppliers with significantly inflated prices, or any suspensions by the health department, the DA called the situation a cover-up.

"The DA has called for the suspension of the department's chief financial officer…and we are now calling for the immediate suspension of Dr Ashley Mthunzi, the CEO of Tembisa Hospital," Bloom said.