GAUTENG MEC FOR HEALTH DR BANDILE MASUKU SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT ABOUT COVID-19 PROCUREMENT
Sunday, 26 July 2020
Recent media reports implying that I am involved in procurement processes in the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) are false and without any foundation.
I value my reputation, that of the Department and the Gauteng Provincial Government and as such, I am obliged to set the record straight.
Following the emergency procurement processes undertaken since the declaration of the National State of Disaster by the President in mid-March 2020, I requested that the administration of the Department must observe good governance principles in the procurement process.
A media statement issued by my Office on Friday, 24 July 2020 confirms that I formally requested a forensic audit into COVID-19 procurement and that the Premier subsequently requested the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) to undertake this investigation. The SIU investigation commenced in May 2020 and the Premier’s office will announce the findings as soon as they become available. As the originator of the process, I wholly support the SIU’s investigation. If evidence of corruption is found at the Gauteng Department of Health, action will be taken, and offenders prosecuted. Those found guilty of fraud and/or the misappropriation of funds at the Department, will face the full might of the law.
As a Member of the Executive Council, I am not involved in, nor do I influence the Department’s procurement processes. The processes of awarding contracts within the department rests entirely with the Supply Chain Management function in Finance.
It is now common knowledge that the Gauteng Provincial Government established a War Room to drive the province’s COVID-19 Response Plan with various work streams such as: Communications, Tracing and Care Management, Clinical, Logistics, Human Resource Management, Occupational Health and Safety, Finance and SCM, Infrastructure, Donations, Research, etc. Workstream members are based at the War Room on a full-time basis. The COVID-19 War Room was initially based at the Provincial Disaster Management Centre in Midrand and later moved to Ormonde in Johannesburg.
Throughout my career, I have always acted with utmost integrity and conviction. I strongly refute any suggestion that COVID-19 procurement is being used as a means to raise funds ahead of ANC conferences.
As MEC for Health in Gauteng, I remain committed to ensuring that our comprehensive health response is focused on saving lives. I will do everything in my power to ensure that anyone found to be stealing money meant for COVID-19 relief; are identified and brought to book.
Statement issued by Kwara Kekana, Spokesperson: MEC for Health, Gauteng, 26 July 2020
