Arson was the cause of the blaze that destroyed equipment worth R20m in a storeroom at the Carletonville Hospital in February, according to the findings of a fire brigade investigation. The findings were revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi in response to questions by DA Gauteng shadow health MEC Jack Bloom in the Gauteng Legislature, reports TimesLIVE.
PPE and other medical equipment estimated to be worth more than R20m were destroyed in the fire. Bloom said the fire destroyed equipment to the value of R16.5m that was being stored for the Anglo Ashanti Hospital, and R3.8m worth of PPE being stored for the Carletonville Hospital.
“I suspect that the fire could have been caused to cover up corruption concerning the PPE or the equipment meant for the Anglo Ashanti Hospital. The SIU has already made adverse findings on the R500m spent on renovating the Anglo Ashanti Hospital,” Bloom said. He added that according to a fire forensic report, there were traces of an accelerant in between the equipment in the storeroom, which indicates that arson was the cause. He said a criminal case of arson has been opened.
Bloom added that there were indications that the fire at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital may also have been to destroy the evidence of corruption at the stores.
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