SIU guns for R39m in Free State PPE scandal

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) scandal in Free State is getting closer to finality.

The Special Tribunal will on Wednesday and Thursday hear application to review and set aside contracts issued by Free State Treasury under SCMQ 11/2020: COVID-19 and this will be led by the Chief Forensic Investigator Johannes Hendrick Nicolaas Nepgen who on behalf of the SIU will ask the court to:

Part B – seek to review and set aside procurement decisions and actions of MEC for Treasury which falls under ambit of administrative actions that were taken for procurement of the surgical gowns under SCMQ 11/2020: COVID-19.

According to Nepgen the cumulative costs for surgical gowns is R39 150 739.60 which Treasury had committed for SCMQ 11/2020: COVID-19.

Step Us Sa News reported a total of 231 331 surgical gowns were discovered to have not been sterilized as required.

Context: Free State Provincial Executive Council (PEC), took a decision to centralize the PPE procurement to Treasury despite Health Department being the custodian of Health (Infection, Prevention & Control) protocols, a decision that angered former HOD Dr Motau.

Background: The Free State PPE’s  scandal has been a hotly debated topic since the news broke late last year. The President also gave a go ahead to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate the misuse of Covid-19 funds.

The former health HOD, Dr David Motau who resigned from his post and took up the position of registrar of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) said he resignation had nothing to do with the PEC’s decision, but he is concerned about the PEC’s decision as a professional doctor.

“I am concerned for the reason that health is the custodian of IPC but risk was raised on a large-scale procurement.” He said during an interview with Step Up Sa News.

He said the Department of Health is part of the Emergency Procurement Task team and therefore the team would ensure that health protocols are adhered to.

“This is the reason why Health Department intervened when they realized that gowns delivered were not as per the specifications.” He added.

This is supported by Nepgen in his founding affidavit that Treasury’s Chief Director Assets and Liability Management Tshepo Mabilo received complaints from Department of Health Medical Depot regarding the quality of delivered surgical gowns procured under SCMQ 11/2020: COVID-19. Up on investigation, Mabilo found only 3(three) out of 32(thirty two) service provider supplied the correct surgical gowns as per technical specifications contained in SCMQ 11/2020: COVID-19.

Adv Selby Makgatho, Special Tribunal Spokesperson confirmed the sitting “For the two days it will be mainly review application hearing.”

This is a developing story.