Call to probe Makhura over hospital tender irregularity
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Gauteng premier David Makhura along with other stakeholders launch and electronics waste management initiative today. Picture: Timothy Bernard/African News Agency (ANA)
Johannesburg - The Independent Liberation & Allied Workers Union has called on Gauteng Premier David Makhura to be investigated on allegations of irregular tender involvement, plotting to remove Tembisa Hospital chief executive Ashley Mthunzi, and for his possible knowledge of how the hospital was used as an ANC cash cow.
The union also called for the investigation of ANC Ekurhuleni treasurer Sello Sekhokho, who was paid R14.5 million for 55 contracts from Tembisa Hospital over the past three years. The contracts were for cleaning material, personal protective equipment (PPE), medical consumables and office supplies.
The premier is said to have called for Mthunzi’s head after Mthunzi allegedly refused to get involved in “supporting the ANC”. Though the awarding of tenders to ANC heavyweights started long before Mthunzi’s tenure, the chief executive’s refusal “to support” the party and it’s provincial leadership allegedly placed him on the hit list.
Sources close to the premier have linked him to businessman Hamilton Dlamini and Siyabonga Masuku. Masuku was a huge beneficiary of the Gauteng PPE tender scandal.
The Star asked the following questions: “Does the premier know of a gentleman called Siyabonga Masuku and what is the premier’s relationship to Mr Masuku? Has Masuku fronted for Makhura? Has the premier done anything clandestine to have Mthunzi suspended? Is Makhura aware of any phone records of conversations between himself and Masuku?”
Makhura’s spokesperson Vuyo Mhaga responded: “I don’t know if the premier is in the Netherlands or in Germany. I need more time.”
The DA has called on Gauteng Health MEC Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi to step aside. The DA said the rot in the department and her failure to institute a forensic investigation into the death of whistle-blower Babita Doekaran and corruption were reason enough for the MEC to resign.
In a statement, DA Gauteng health spokesperson Jack Bloom said Mokgethi must be fired for failing to institute a full investigation into allegations of corruption made by whistle-blower Deokaran shortly before she was murdered last year.
The DA’s call for Mokgethi’s head comes after the recent suspension of Mthunzi and chief financial officer Lerato Madyo who were placed on precautionary suspension by the MEC and Makhura following accusations of irregular contract payments to dodgy contractors that were flagged by Doekaran over a year ago. Doekaran was subsequently assassinated in August last year, after she had uncovered corruption in the department.
On Tuesday, Mokgethi was grilled during a question and answer session in the Gauteng legislature where the MEC claimed that Deokaran made no “formal” request for a forensic investigation into dodgy payments by Tembisa Hospital.
As per Mokhethi’s confession, Sekhokho's three companies, Kaizen Projects, Nokokhokho Medical Supplies and Bollanoto Security, scored R2.8 million in 2019 and R4.2m in 2020. Mthunzi, however, only took over as CEO last year.
Mokgethi has said the current management at Tembisa Hospital is not aware of any irregularities.
“The department, through its risk management unit will conduct an audit on payments made at the facility. This will then provide evidence of transactions that may require forensic investigation should there be evidence enough to link up officials who may have conducted irregularities. The process of conducting forensic investigation is centralised in the office of the premier,” Mokgethi said.
The union is critical of the fact the forensic investigation is centralised in Makhura’s office. “Makhura is the premier and was the ANC’s Gauteng chairperson at the time all the corruption ensued in the province and at the hospital. The CEO only arrived in 2021. In our view, it’s the premier that should’ve been suspended and not the doctor. How can the premier investigate himself? It is sad when professionals become the fall guys for politicians, in this case Sekhokho and Makhura,” the union said.
The Star