Lesufi should act on the Tembisa Hospital report without fear or favour
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi should act without fear or favour tomorrow when he releases the SIU report on the Tembisa Hospital payments flagged by murdered whistle-blower Babita Deokaran.
Lesufi says four prominent business people have been implicated in the looting of the hospital’s finances.
It is likely they have connections with the ANC and have high-level accomplices in the Gauteng Health Department.
We already know about Mr Hangwani Morgan Maumela, who is a nephew by marriage to President Cyril Ramaphosa and reportedly “the don” of Tembisa Hospital with direct access to its procurement office. Companies linked to him have got contracts worth R381 million in the last three years from Gauteng public hospitals. He is reputedly close to Bejani Chauke, the president’s chief advisor, who is the front-runner candidate to be the ANC’s treasurer-general.
We also know that Mr Sello Sekhoko, the treasure-general of the ANC’s Ekurhuleni region, scored nearly R100 million in contracts from Gauteng public hospitals awarded to his three companies.
Lesufi should immediately blacklist all implicated companies so they never sell again to any Gauteng hospital.
It’s not just Tembisa Hospital as other hospitals have paid millions of rand for over-priced goods from fishy companies.
I expect more officials to be suspended and disciplined for collusion in corrupt contracts. Criminal charges should also be laid against them.
President Cyril Ramaphosa needs to extend the SIU investigation to all public hospitals in Gauteng so that all corrupt officials are exposed and dismissed. There should be no half-measures in stopping the rampant corruption that hurts staff and patients in our hospitals.
By Jack Bloom MPL – DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC
