184 Gauteng Health staff have businesses that deal with Government

6 October 2019

184 staff who work for the Gauteng Health Department (GHD) have their own private businesses that deal with government departments, including the GHD.

This is revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku in a written reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.

These employees were identified by the Gauteng Audit Service and the Auditor General’s 2018/19 Report.

They are involved in a wide range of businesses, including medical supplies, food, events management, health publishing, emergency care, security and funeral services.

It is not presently known how many GHD staff get business from the Department itself. According to Masuku, “a detailed report has been requested from the Head of Department. A deadline of Monday the 14th October 2019 has been given. Once the information has been provided it will be forwarded to the legislature.”

I am concerned that employees doing business with their own department has taken so long to uncover. This is highly irregular in a department that has suffered many corruption scandals.

I look forward to the detailed report that has been promised, which should be followed by strict discipline of staff who are caught out in this matter.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 6 October 2019