Johannesburg – Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi on Tuesday released a damning report of several probes including the much-publicised allegations of skulduggery at Tembisa Hospital regarding the unbridled spending on overpriced goods through dodgy tenders.
The report emanates from a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigation into the allegations of maladministration, fraud, and corruption related to the Supply Chain Management processes at Tembisa Hospital.
The probe was prompted by the murder of the chief director of financial accounting at the Gauteng health department, Babita Deokaran, who flagged R850 million in irregular spending.
Red flags included evidence that there were close to 227 companies doing business with the hospital that belonged to only four people.
“We can now confirm that when this happened, there were denials that the late Babita Deokaran had compiled a forensic report with the names of companies implicated,” said Premier Lesufi.
“We were told that senior finance officials denied that the report existed.
“The investigation by the SIU confirms the existence of the report.”
The allegations in the report included:
Possible fraudulent service providers doing business with the Gauteng Department of Health (Tembisa Hospital);
Possible fraudulent payment transactions made thereof;
Irregular appointment of companies at Tembisa Hospital;
All payments made to these companies by the Gauteng Department of Health from 1 February 2021 to date;
Establish any relationship between the Tembisa Hospital CEO and the companies in question.
“We must take this opportunity to state that, we are doing this to honour Babitas legacy, we are doing this to fulfill our commitment that her death will not be in vain. She remains the symbol of whistleblowing and a symbol of fighting corruption,” Lesufi said.
“We will leave no stones unturned in ensuring that those involved will suffer the consequences.
“Based on the report we have received on the cases that have been opened, the hawks have invaded Tembisa hospital today as part of the work we have requested them to do.”
During the raid at the hospital, the Hawks seized documents and electronic devices.
The damning report also covers probes into Anglo Ashanti, Tembisa Hospital, Driving Licence Testing Centres, and other entities.
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