R2.6 billion paid for Gauteng Hospital security contracts that expired five years ago
25 October 2021
The Gauteng Health Department has paid 59 security companies R2.6 billion for contracts to guard public hospitals that were supposed to expire five years ago but have been irregularly extended every month.
This is revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi in a written reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.
According to Mokgethi, the original two-year contracts were meant to expire in September 2016. However, “due to the critical nature of the services, there was a need for extension of contracts, therefore the service rendered needs to be paid.”
Mokgethi says that in 2016 the Department advertised for new security contracts, but the tender was subsequently cancelled.