The Gauteng government under Premier David Makhura allowed six former senior officials in the Health Department who wasted R500m on an illegal data storage tender to Telkom to resign without any criminal charges against them.
An IOL report says this was revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi in her written reply to questions by the DA’s Jack Bloom. In her reply, Mokgethi said the department had conducted 12 investigations by various external forensic firms but only four investigations were concluded and recommendations made to the department. Despite admitting that investigations were concluded, Mokgethi said disciplinary letters were issued to those implicated for fraudulent activities at Tambo Memorial Hospital and Thelle Mogoerane Hospital.
At the Emergency Medical Services, she revealed that three officials were acquitted while one was served with a final written warning. About the illegal R500m contract, Mokgethi said six of those implicated resigned while one was served with a final written warning. She also said there was one outstanding disciplinary matter.
Asked how many criminal charges were laid about the findings of 12 investigations, Mokgethi said “nil”. In his reaction to Mokgethi’s latest revelations, Bloom said the Gauteng Health Department has spent R17.6m on 12 corruption investigations since January 2018, but has recovered no money that was desperately needed to provide hospital services for patients.
Full IOL report – Gauteng government officials who wasted R500m let off the hook (Open access)
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