Tembisa Hospital Heist: Tender Tycoon's R52 Million Hypercar Dream Dashed
Johannesburg – Hangwani Morgan Maumela, the tender tycoon accused of extracting R820 million from Tembisa Hospital through a network of over 40 shell companies, briefly owned one of the world's rarest and most expensive cars: a Pagani Huayra Roadster valued at R52 million.
It has since come to light that Maumela, a nephew of President Cyril Ramaphosa, acquired the automotive collector’s item late in 2021, just months after Gauteng health department whistleblower Babita Deokaran flagged shell companies controlled by him in trade with Tembisa Hospital. Deokaran was tragically assassinated after raising her concerns, and her recommendations for a forensic audit focused on Tembisa Hospital’s procurement office were covered up and died with her.
President Ramaphosa has publicly disavowed the tender boss.
The Pagani Huayra Roadster, handcrafted at the carmaker’s factory in Modena, Italy, is one of only 100 in existence. Every screw, nut, and bolt bears the carmaker’s logo, showcasing the meticulous attention to detail that defines this hypercar.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is currently seeking to track down and preserve the Pagani, along with 32 other supercars, from Lamborghinis to Ferraris, as part of their probe into the R2.3-billion hospital heist. The SIU is also investigating Maumela’s expansive property portfolio, which includes mansions in Sandton, Bantry Bay, Camps Bay, and Zimbali, valued at more than R200 million.
The fleet of cars is a tour de wealth, and each is custom-painted azure frost blue and fitted with vivid yellow brake calipers.
The Pagani was imported in August 2020 and initially sold shortly after. However, records obtained by News24 show that in November 2021, the car was returned to the Daytona Motor Group, an upmarket dealership in Melrose Arch. Initially, the car was white with Italian tricolour livery.
Powered by a 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged AMG V12 engine producing 764 horsepower and 1 000Nm of torque, the Pagani can accelerate from 0-100km/h in just 3.0 seconds, reaching a top speed of 370km/h. Every panel is hand-laid carbon fibre, cured in autoclaves and finished by master craftsmen. Even the suspension arms use aerospace-grade avionic alloy.
Other owners of the hypercar include F1 driver Lewis Hamilton and boxer Floyd Mayweather. Each vehicle comes with a bespoke luggage set and is tailored to the prospective owner’s specifications.
Sources with knowledge of the investigation said that Maumela had paid a sum of R52 200 000 to Daytona for the vehicle but that the respraying of the car and other specification changes, back in the Italian factory of origin, added additional costs.
However, Maumela's ownership of the Pagani was short-lived. It is understood that he reneged on the purchase, was refunded by Daytona, and the vehicle was subsequently sold to another buyer.
In court papers filed by the SIU to preserve Maumela’s assets, it sets out how the dealership refunded Maumela.
In July of this year, Daytona posted images of the vehicle on its Instagram page. The car is now a brilliant shade of blue with a white leather interior. The pictures appear to have been shot at the glitzy Melrose Arch showroom.
The caption reads: “The Pagani Huayra is a masterclass in engineering and design, a hypercar where every detail tells a story of obsession, precision and pure Italian passion. Named after the god of wind, its presence is mythic. Its performance? Unmatched. Not just a car. A kinetic masterpiece.”
The SIU's court papers detail how they tracked Maumela’s car splurge in a two-year period, and what was purchased. In many instances, the cars were purchased but not registered. The single commonality was, largely, their colour.
Many of these vehicles were the target of a dramatic swoop by the SIU on Maumela’s Sandton mansion earlier this month. The home itself is a showcase of opulence.
The sprawling, three-storey mansion offers commanding views of the Johannesburg skyline through floor-to-ceiling windows and multiple bedrooms and dining rooms, each equipped with wall-mounted televisions, showcase hotel-style interiors dominated by cream, white and brown furnishings, while paintings adorn the walls.
The cars, along with the extensive property portfolio, were purchased using funds extracted from Tembisa Hospital.
A News24 investigation in 2022 found that Maumela was considered “the don” of the East Rand hospital and held sway with both management and procurement officials.
Fourteen entities, either controlled by Maumela or his cousin, Aluwani, were in simultaneous trade with the hospital. In the SIU’s investigation, tracing money flows and other information secured under subpoena, the unit tracked 42 entities which can be linked to the tenderpreneur.
News24 previously reported that Maumela, using a proxy company once controlled by his now dead cousin, targeted a hospital catering tender in the North West which had a value – if Maumela’s pricing structure was accepted – of more than R1 billion. In that deal, the company submitted a fraudulent BEE certificate, part of a modus operandi identified by the SIU.
Daytona, responding to questions through its attorney, said the dealership was cooperating with the SIU.
“Ownership of goods sold by it (Daytona) does not pass to a prospective purchaser unless and until the purchase price in respect thereof, inclusive of any modifications, is paid in full. Monies were indeed received on account of an open order for the vehicle which features in your email, but ownership thereof did not pass,” it said.
“As the transaction was not completed, the order was cancelled and monies paid on account of the purchase price were refunded.”
Maumela did not respond to requests for comment. The SIU's investigation into Maumela's dealings continues.
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