SIU finds highly-connected businessmen were irregularly awarded tenders to the tune of R2bn

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) recently published its investigation into the Tembisa Hospital, where it found a highly connected network of businessmen irregularly awarded tenders amounting to about R2 billion.

The health department addressed this and more during a media briefing in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

With an annual budget of R67 billion, the Department of Health accounts for the lion’s share of the Gauteng government’s total spend.

As a consequence, the department is more likely to attract interest from corrupt businesspeople like in the Tembisa Hospital scandal.

The Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said the department has moved to strengthen its oversight mechanisms.

“That’s why our controls that we have are able to show us if there are any red flags. At the moment, we don’t have any red flags in any institution. We sit every Tuesday with the executive and the CEO’s of the hospitals, presenting on their financials and what’s happening on their hospitals.”

Nkomo-Ralehoko said the Tembisa Hospital remains fully functional despite the looting that has taken place.