Two companies have allegedly been awarded tenders worth R8,5 million by the department during the coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown, without following proper procurement processes. The special investigating unit (SIU), which is investigating the department, made its presentation before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa), saying the allegations against the department were made or received on 18 August 2020.

In 2018, the department - which is still under administration - made headlines for all the wrong reasons following reports of the multimillion-rand controversial deal between the Gupta-linked health company Mediosa and the department. In August 2020, premier Job Mokgoro announced that over 30 suppliers in the province supplied the Department of Health with different items which include masks, disposable overalls and temperature scanners, amongst others, which cost the department R65 922 572.

The Provincial Government also announced that it had spent R124,224 million in the six months from March to 6 August. This is more than R20 million per month for the procurement of Covid-19 material, which includes Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Meanwhile, over 50 service providers also benefited from R124 million budgeted by the provincial department to source help in the fight against the spread of Covid-19 by providing different services to the Department of Education, which cost the department R32 669 205.

 OFM News