Health Minister Joe Phaahla said provincial Health Departments have recorded 47 corruption cases since January 2023, involving every province except North West.
Replying to parliamentary questions from DA MP Michéle Clarke, Phaahla said Limpopo, the Northern Cape and the Free State have disclosed the amount involved in their cases, while others have yet to quantify the money involved.
The Eastern Cape had racked up 15 cases, but the amount of money lost has not yet been confirmed, he said. The Cape Times reports that out of the 15 cases, four have been concluded and three were still under investigation.
“In one case there was insufficient evidence, but in the remaining seven, investigations are under way,” he said.
The Eastern Cape Department has initiated legal proceedings in the issuing of fraudulent medical certificates, while Limpopo had recorded eight corruption cases worth R1 265 418.
Seven cases had been completed while investigations were continuing in one.
“Fraud allegations in three cases could not be proved so they were closed. On the remaining four, internal disciplinary processes are under way,” he said, adding that two cases had been reported to the police.
In a case in the Northern Cape, an official accepted R10 000 as a bribe.
“A disciplinary process was instituted with a sanction of three months’ suspension without salary and a final written warning.” The case was also reported to the SAPS and the official found guilty, with a fine of R120 000 or three years’ imprisonment.
Six cases of corruption in KwaZulu-Natal involved R282 191. The implicated officials underwent disciplinary procedures and R138 741 was recovered.
Phaahla said the Free State recorded eight cases of corruption involving R2 806 141. Four employees were dismissed, four resigned and two were undergoing disciplinary processes.
Three cases were under investigation by the SAPS and five were before the courts.
Six cases were being investigated in Gauteng and the amount involved was yet to be quantified.
Cape Times PressReader article – Health minister unpacks cases of corruption (Open access)
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