ALLEGED TEMBISA ARSONIST BAIL HEARING POSTPONED TO FRIDAY
The man accused of setting fire to two sections of Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital is a 48-year-old groundsman at the Sizwe Tropical Diseases Hospital in Johannesburg.
His name is Thembinkosi Manqunyana and he was arrested on 12 May 2025 while at work, following weeks of intensive investigation by a special police unit.
Manqunyana made a brief appearance at the Tembisa Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 19 May 2025, facing charges of arson and malicious damage to property.
His case was postponed to Friday, 23 May 2025, for the NPA to determine under which schedule of the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA) the charges fall, a technicality that will influence his bail eligibility.
While the state maintains that the arson should be classified under Schedule 5 which is reserved for more serious offences, Manqunyana’s legal team argues that it is a Schedule 1 offence, which typically allows for bail and lighter sentencing.
His attorney, Xolani Pangwa said “This is his first offence, and the delay affects him negatively. He has a family and kids who depend on him.”
According to police, Manqunyana confessed to orchestrating the fires, including planning the attack, purchasing petrol, and executing the act.
The first fire broke out during the Easter Weekend in the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit, followed by a second fire four days later, which severely disrupted services.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo confirmed that the confession was submitted in a detailed report to Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi. The report implicates further individuals, including the head of security at the hospital.
“More arrests are imminent as the investigation continues,” said Masondo.
Premier Lesufi previously described the fires as an act of treason, especially given their suspected link to attempts to destroy key documents tied to ongoing corruption investigations at the hospital.
Tembisa Hospital has been under scrutiny since the 2021 assassination of whistleblower Babita Deokaran, who flagged R850 million in questionable tender deals.
The case continues on Friday at the Tembisa Magistrate’s Court.
