By Staff Reporter
POLOKWANE – The Limpopo Department of Health is making headlines again, this time over a coal supply tender for 14 hospitals – many of which do not even use the fuel source.
The alarm was raised recently by an NGO, the Conty Lebepe Foundation, which alerted Limpopo Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba about the matter, who then instructed HoD Mutheiwana Dombo to investigate.
The Department indicated that it is investigating claims that a coal supply tender was issued for at least 14 hospitals that did not use coal.
The department again found itself in the grips of controversy after possible tender irregularities were flagged.
It is understood that leaked documents showed a paper trail of the alleged dodgy tender.
However, contrary to the damning allegations, Limpopo Heath spokesperson Neil Shikwambana hit out at the whistleblowers.
“The Department believes that the leaking of these documents seeks to undermine the ongoing investigations and also to delegitimise the potential findings.
“However, the department is pressing on with the internal investigation in order to ensure there is maximum accountability on this matter.”
Shikwambana said the procurement process for the tender was not concluded.
The DA in the province said the department had never raised the issue of an internal investigation with the legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Health, and that it had written to the portfolio committee chairperson to ensure the MEC and acting HOD appear and provide details on the matter.
Shikwambana further emphasized that there has been zero activity, so far as the work pertaining to this tender is concerned. That is to say that there has been no work which was done, no order has been issued, and no payment has been made.”
“The department is committed to thoroughly investigating the issue to its logical end, and it requests to be given space to get to the bottom of the matter,” he said
