The Limpopo Department of Health is making headlines again, this time over a coal supply tender for 14 hospitals – many of which do not even use the fuel source.
News24 reports that the alarm was raised recently by an NGO, the Conty Lebepe Foundation, which alerted Limpopo Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba about the matter, who then instructed HoD Mutheiwana Dombo to investigate.
A letter from a chief director in the department to a senior finance official asked for one of the project’s leads to “provide a report with reasons” why facilities that don’t use coal were included in the bid specification.
Department spokesperson Neil Shikwambana said the assistance of law enforcement agencies had been sought, but that no work was done, nor payment made, towards the tender.
The DA in the province said the department had never raised the issue of an internal investigation with the legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Health, and that it had written to the portfolio committee chairperson to ensure the MEC and acting HOD appear and provide details on the matter.
The Public Servants’ Association (PSA) said the claims were “extremely concerning”, and that it had hoped, after “numerous scandals” had led to probes by the Special Investigating Unit, that department officials would have been more cautious and diligent in awarding contracts.
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Limpopo health chief resigns amid multimillion rand PPE tender probe
No action against Limpopo Health officials involved in dodgy tender
SIU to probe waste management corruption allegations at Limpopo Health