DA slams KZN Health Committee for not dealing with departmental corruption

28 January 2020

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is alarmed by the lack of urgency and commitment demonstrated by the KwaZulu-Natal Health Portfolio Committee when it comes to tackling corruption within the province’s Department of Health.

Last week, the DA laid charges of corruption against several former high-ranking officials including the Head of Department (HOD) and Chief Financial Officer. This after a report by the Public Protector (PP) which found more than R31 million in fruitless and wasteful expenditure had taken place in the procurement of mobile hospital units several years ago. The PP also found that the people of KZN had received no benefit from the units.

The main reason for the DA laying charges was to ensure that consequences follow these individuals even though they have left the Department’s employ. Time and again, under this ANC-led administration, we have seen the complete lack of penalties for officials once they resign.

Yet despite a letter written to KZN’s Health Committee Chairperson Majola - requesting that this important matter be included on the agenda at the next meeting, scheduled for Thursday this week - it does not appear on the agenda. Our other requests, that the PP’s report to be presented before the committee and that KZN Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu, present her plan for remedial action are also not listed.

The Public Protector’s report lays out various remedial actions for internal disciplinary actions and steps to prevent future corruption. These include;

Appropriate internal disciplinary actions against those officials still in the employ of the Department;

That the current HOD take corrective actions in the Supply Chain Management (SCM) systems to prevent future corruption;

That the HOD report all financial mismanagement and corrective actions taken to Provincial Treasury and the Auditor-General;

That the HOD, along with Provincial Treasury, recover all fruitless and wasteful expenditure (R31 million); and

That the MEC institute a forensic investigation into all contracts between the Department and Meditech SA since 2001.

The mandate of the portfolio committee is to act as a watchdog over the MEC and the department. Given this, the DA regards the Chairperson’s lack of response as unacceptable.

At the beginning of this parliamentary term, members of the committee received an assurance from Chairperson Majola that there would be a commitment to holding the Department and MEC accountable. We now call on her to uphold her earlier promise and to include these important items on the agenda for interrogation by the portfolio committee.

Issued by Rishigen Viranna, DA KZN Spokesperson on Health, 28 January 2020