Gauteng Health Department Head should also be suspended

19 August 2020

Gauteng Health’s head of Department Professor Mac Lukhele authorized the choice of a fishy company for a R140 million contract that was found to be irregular and cancelled after R17.2 million was already paid.

This is revealed by Acting Health MEC Jacob Mamabolo in a written reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature concerning the contract to Impela Alliances that set up a project team to handle the R2 billion outstanding debt to suppliers.

According to Mamabolo, Lukhele authorized the choice of Impela which was appointed on 23 March this year.

Mamabolo says that the department is seeking legal opinion on disciplinary action against those who authorized this contract and whether there is any financial penalty or legal liability in cancelling it.

An amount of R17 259 200 was paid to Impela for invoices in April and May. This is a complete waste of money as they were paid for something that could easily have been done in-house.

Lukhele is the department’s accounting officer and should also share the blame for the R2 billion PPE scandal where many fishy companies got contracts and grossly over-charged.

Premier David Makhura should suspend Lukhele just as he has suspended Health MEC Bandile Masuku and Supply Chain Management head Thandi Pino.

There is a deep rot in this department that has continued for many years and needs to be eradicated at all levels, starting with those at the top who participated in it or failed to stop it.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, 19 August 2020