A plumbing company contracted by the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development (DID) routinely charges R20 000 for every job done at a hospital, but the Department insists that this is a fair market rate.
According to a written reply by Gauteng DID MEC Jacob Mamabolo, Kokwane Express Services cc was awarded a three-year maintenance contract through open tender to do plumbing jobs at hospitals at a negotiated rate.
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“The company was paid R20 000 for each of 26 jobs done at hospitals and other government buildings in 2014 and 2015, which amounts to R520 000 in total,” said Mamabolo.
This included the following small jobs at the Helen Joseph Hospital:
- unblocking a sewer at the pharmacy
- repairing the drainage system in the kitchen
- unblocking the main sewer line
According to the records supplied by the department R20, 000 was also charged twice to unblock the bathroom on the 4th floor of the Sage Life Building, first on November 10, 2014, and then again four days later.
“An extensive market research and analysis was done to arrive at the rates agreed upon,” said Mamabolo.
DA Shadow MEC for Health Jack Bloom said he is not convinced that a fair value rate was negotiated as the small jobs should surely have cost much less.
“I suspect that the department is being grossly overcharged by many other companies for reasons that need to be investigated.
“Every effort should be made to negotiate the lowest rates for quality work at our hospitals and clinics,” said Bloom.
More investigations are being done into these records.
