IDT Report 'Damning'

Corruption: Recommends Disciplinary Action Against CEO and GM

- Roy Cokayne

A forensic investigation report into the allegedly irregular and corrupt R880 million hospital oxygen plant tender managed by the Independent Development Trust (IDT) has recommended that disciplinary action be taken against IDT CEO Tebogo Malaka, IDT general manager for supply chain management Dr Molebedi Sisi and other officials.

On Tuesday, Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson said the PwC report did not identify any relationship or links between the appointed contractors and the IDT or Department of Health (DoH) officials.

But Macpherson believed the murkiness surrounding, particularly Bulkeng, one of the preferred service providers, would "have been a red flag right at the beginning."

He added that the department can only work off the evidence provided to it, but if any evidence came forward to suggest something else, they would also look into it.

Macpherson said he took a number of actions to ensure consequence management and accountability, including writing to the Hawks and providing them with the report to supplement their current criminal investigation into this matter.

"Where criminal allegations exist, I want to ensure the highest chances of success," he said.

Macpherson said he had also briefed the minister of health and the newly constituted IDT board on the contents of the report.

He stressed that "accountability must follow and will follow" and the disciplinary process going forward is for the new IDT board to determine.

"South Africans deserve to know how their money was spent – and misused," he said.

"We are not just reacting to this scandal. We are using it as an opportunity to get things right in our entities and department.