Motsoaledi assures Parly tender hiccups for ARVs supply won’t impact treatment programme

Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi has moved to assure Parliament that tender hiccups for the supply of antiretrovirals (ARVs) will not impact its treatment programme.

Two companies who supply the drugs applied for business rescue in 2025, and now one of them is being taken over by an Indian-based company that has taken the Department of Health to court over the same tender following suspicions of price-fixing.

But parliamentarians have slammed the department for not having exercised sufficient due diligence before awarding the tender and have appeared disapproving about the new takeover arrangement.

With the department’s Digital Vibes tender debacle still fresh in the minds of members of Parliament (MPs), many are sceptical about the takeover of the Barrs Pharmaceuticals tender by Hetero.

Barrs and Innovata are two of seven companies that have been awarded to supply the department with ARVs.

While Motsoaledi said he’s not involved in tender processes, the department does not scrutinise the financials of companies that apply for tenders.

“We cannot examine balance sheets because for us to do so, we do not have any skill whatsoever.”

But the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)’s Naledi Chirwa claimed Motsoaledi was misleading the committee because it’s a requirement of the Public Finance Management Act to determine the financial capacity of tender applicants.

“There are too many red flags for us not to be suspicious with what is happening with this ARV tender.”

Department of Health officials said it’s up to the National Treasury and the Department of Trade to flag any problems with companies.

Motsoaledi has assured the committee that the drug supply at State facilities has not been affected by the tender problems, with a three-month stockpile at clinics being standard practice.