The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has called for effective measures to immediately halt irregular contracts awarded at hospitals in the province.
It is reported that four companies implicated in corruption at the Tembisa Hospital were awarded government contracts to the tune of R1.2 million in the last three months.
This was revealed by Health MEC in Gauteng Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko in response to a question posed by the DA in the legislature.
The DA’s shadow MEC for Health, Jack Bloom, says the four companies are all linked to controversial businessman, Paul Mokoena.
“According to the MEC, there were irregularities in all the contracts awarded to Mokoena’s 14 companies, and none of them are registered with the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA).”
The companies include:
– Meiday Trading and Projects, which received seven contracts worth R447 000 in August to supply meat to the Sebokeng Hospital.
– Oneall Distributors, which received seven contracts in July to also supply meat to the Sebokeng Hospital and another contract in August to supply diesel and fish at the Tambo Memorial Hospital.
– Malito, which was granted six contracts in September to supply pairs of shoes costing to Tambo Memorial Hospital to the tune of R38 950.
– The Mafahla Group received five contracts in July to supply milk to the Sebokeng Hospital for R170 936 and a further R63 000 contract to supply surgical materials to Pholosong Hospital in August.
The companies are currently being investigated by the SIU for suspected tender fraud at the Tembisa Hospital.
The Tembisa Hospital is no stranger to the headlines following the murder of whistleblower Babita Deokaran, who was murdered in cold blood after flagging potential corruption at the hospital.
Deokaran, who was a senior official at the provincial health department, was killed in a hail of bullets outside her home in 2021.
The DA’s Bloom says it is outrageous that all these contracts were awarded by hospital CEOs.
“The DA calls for effective measures to immediately halt contracts with the 224 companies implicated in vile corruption that steals money needed to fix our ailing hospitals,” says Bloom.