Medscheme has turned to the high court to freeze Bonitas Medical Scheme’s tender process, arguing that contracts should not be awarded while a regulatory forensic investigation into the scheme’s governance is under way. The application, filed on Monday, 15 December 2025 in the Gauteng local division of the High Court in Johannesburg, seeks an interim interdict suspending Bonitas’ current tender process pending the outcome of a forensic investigation by the Council for Medical Schemes. The matter is set down for hearing on 3 March 2026.
In court documents, Medscheme argues that the integrity and legitimacy of the tender process have been compromised, asserting that it is the “antithesis of a fair, equitable, transparent and bona fide process”. The company maintains that once contracts are awarded and implementation begins, any later finding of irregularity could leave the scheme facing operational disruption and legal uncertainty. The legal challenge comes at a time when the company is already under the microscope.
In November 2025, the Council for Medical Schemes confirmed it had escalated an inquiry into Bonitas to a full forensic investigation under Section 44 of the Medical Schemes Act. Medscheme’s application draws on allegations from acolumnby BusinessDay journalist Michael Avery, which purportedly exposed a concerted effort by internal executives and external associates to capture the scheme. It was this same reporting that first put the matter on Council for Medical Schemes’ radar.
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