Gauteng Health Department warned over procurement system concerns

DEEP FLAWS

- MASABATA MKWANANZI

THE Gauteng Department of Health has received a warning regarding "South Africa's procurement system that remains wide open to exploitation by flyby-night companies.

This comes after the department acknowledged that it lacks the power to put suppliers connected to the R2 billion Tembisa Hospital scandal on a blacklist.

This warning comes after ActionSA MP Kgosi Letlape made the shocking discovery that the government still permits the embezzlement of public funds through formal parliamentary responses from the Minister of Health on October 10. In the scandal, 207 service providers were accused of embezzling taxpayer funds without consequence.

In a written reply, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi outlined steps taken following the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) interim report, including high-level meetings with senior management, the National Health Council (NHC), and CEOs and CFOs of central hospitals to discuss ways to prevent future corruption.

A workshop is also scheduled for 27-28 November to develop stronger safeguards.