Nehawu, DA call for Mathabatha to suspend MEC Ramathuba

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) are calling for Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha to suspend health MEC Phophi Ramathuba and all officials who benefited from R900 million personal protective equipment (PPE) tenders.

This comes after Limpopo ANC provincial secretary Soviet Lekganyane accused senior government officials in the province and members of the ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) of doing business with government. Lekganyane said some officials had since confirmed in PEC meetings that they were awarded tenders in some provincial departments, district and local municipalities.

“This is pure conflict of interest. I call on all those who are still doing business with their own government to desist because the practice is outlawed and it is viewed by both government and the ANC as tantamount to a serious crime,” said Lekganyane.

Yesterday, Nehawu in Limpopo said it was time Mathabatha and took decisive action against corruption in the awarding of PPE tenders. Media reports suggest that several government officials from the Limpopo department of health benefitted in one way or the other from the PPE tenders.

It is understood that PPE contracts worth more than R932 million have been awarded to service providers since the outbreak of the coronavirus. The reports further revealed high-profile government officials in the department influenced the awarding of the tenders to their friends, relatives, political juntas, journalists and businesspeople with close ties to the upper echelons of the department, or fronted companies owned by their close political allies.

Head of the department of health in Limpopo, Thokozani Mhlongo, said the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) would investigate the allegations. She said anyone who had information about corruption in her department was free to report it to the police. “It should further be noted that we managed to save R311 million on the procurement of PPE.

“This savings was realised because we negotiated prices below the National Treasury guidelines. Our total expenditure to date is R526 million and not the R932 million reported,” she added.

Nehawu provincial secretary Jacob Adams said yesterday: “We want the premier to put all those involved or who unduly benefitted from the programme on suspension to allow the investigation to run without any hassle.”

The DA called on Mathabatha to request the SIU investigate all Limpopo health department tender contracts, and to put Ramathuba on special leave during the probe.