Tembisa 10 Piet Rampedi

The Tembisa 10’s Gosiame Sithole. Image: IOL/Twitter

Independent Media series to explore the ‘explosive’ Tembisa 10 case

Independent Media has produced a 10-part series of what happened to the mother of the Tembisa 10 decuplets…and the shock discovery of alleged baby trafficking in state hospitals.

Tembisa 10 Piet Rampedi

The Tembisa 10’s Gosiame Sithole. Image: IOL/Twitter

In a dramatic turn of events, Dr Iqbal Survé claimed that the Tembisa 10 does in fact exist during a press conference held by Independent Media on 27 October.

The chairman of one of Africa’s largest print and online media groups said that the group has launched an extensive investigation into the Tembisa 10 and explained what exactly happened when Gosiame Sithole allegedly delivered her babies.

Tembisa 10 series

The controversial case caused a media storm all over the world when it was claimed that Sithole broke the record for giving birth to quintuplets. Many have since claimed that the birth of the 10 babies is fake news, but this is far from the truth according to Survé.

Survé says that the group produced a series of what exactly transpired when Sithole gave birth. The release date of the series is yet to be confirmed.

Their investigation allegedly exposed a Nigerian doctor who played a key part in the whole case, as well as allegations of human and baby trafficking in state hospitals.

A devastating discovery of trafficking

“What we discovered was really devastating,” Survé said. “What we discovered…which will be presented in our series in great detail, is that our state hospitals are the epi-centre of human trafficking and baby trafficking.

“We can say unequivocally that involved in this is home affairs, multiple ID’s and records of patients that don’t exist or disappear, babies that come in, mother delivering twins who are told that one twin died and then the other is trafficked. Or very young, vulnerable black women told that their babies have died during delivery and the babies are trafficked.

“We were able to, at great risk to our journalists, deep-dive into the syndicates and uncover horrific stories of how these babies are trafficked. From Gauteng through to Mapumalanga through to West Africa and also to Europe and the United States. About 50% of the babies are given up for adoption, the other 50% are used for muti or cosmetic surgery.

“This has been a very dangerous investigation.”

What about the government?

“We want to tell the government that it’s okay to make mistakes, it is not okay to cover up,” Survé says further. The group allegedly provided the government with key details of their findings but claims that nobody has contacted them up to this point.

Survé says that they want the government to answer one question, and that is: ‘Where are the babies right now?’

Survé claims that there is ultimately a powerful syndicate behind the case and that they are “not afraid”. The group will reportedly provide their reports in the coming future.