Search for ’Tembisa 10’ doctor: Investigations find gynae who delivered babies
Following a series of investigations, Independent Media can unmask the doctor involved in the delivery of the “Tembisa 10”.
Gosiame Sithole, 49, made global headlines in June last year when Pretoria News broke the story of her record pregnancy.
But the celebratory story was swiftly branded “fake news”, when the Gauteng Health Department denied knowledge of the births and the existence of the babies, prompting Independent Media to launch several investigations into the saga.
Multiple sources led to obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Kazeem Okanlomo, who is believed to have been involved in the delivery of Sithole’s decuplets.
It was established that Okanlomu, who also uses the alias “Dr Okadingwa” operated from a practice on the East Rand and other hospitals in Gauteng and that Sithole's babies were delivered at Steve Biko Academic Hospital.
“Our investigation led us to Okanlomo and Steve Biko Academic Hospital and we have reason to believe that he was involved in the pre and postnatal care of Gosiame Sithole.
“Our investigative reporters, private investigators and senior hospital staff were able to determine his involvement,” said Independent Media’s Investigative Unit Editor, Sizwe Dlamini.
According to Dlamini, several sources confirmed Okanlomu had a role in the birth of the decuplets, including senior hospital staff, doctors, Sithole’s call records and the mom herself.
Sithole said that Okanlomo had seen her several times during her pregnancy and had even introduced her to a “sponsor” – only identified as “Dr Roberto”, who had offered to fund her delivery at a private hospital in Gauteng.
“I saw Dr Okadingwa at Sunninghill Hospital,” confirmed Sithole who described how she met him after being injured at her place of work at Pick n Pay in Woodmead.
“Dr Roberto is a friend of Dr Okadingwa. He asked me whether I had medical aid or not and that he would sponsor me and look after me.
“Then he asked me about the father of the babies, and if I was happy with him, and I told him that I’m not married but that I am with the father of my babies.”
Sithole said that she believes the “doctors” were convincing women to give up their babies and that they are taking advantage of poor women.
A private investigator, whose identity is known to Independent Media, said a senior hospital staffer had identified Okanlomo as the doctor who had delivered the decuplets and even set up a meeting between them.
“We met him at a coffee shop and he said to us that he was not the mastermind of the entire saga but was brought in to ‘clean up the mess’,” said the investigator.
When contacted for comment by journalists, Okanlomu denied any involvement, saying: “There’s no point in calling me and telling me I have committed a crime, that’s why I am saying you should go to the nearest police station and lay a charge because that’s what I am going to do.
“If I read a story in the paper and realise that you have defamed me I am going to sue you.”
When approached for comment, the government departments had either not responded or had referred Independent Media journalists to a previous statement by the Gauteng government denying that the birth had taken place in the province.
dailyvoice@inl.co.za