Action SA says it welcomes the internal investigation started by the Department of Health (DOH) in Limpopo on a tender to supply coal to hospitals in the province. The party said some of the hospitals have no coal facilities (boilers) and have never used coal before. Action SA approached the MEC, Phophi Ramathuba, after they became aware of this through CONLEF, an anti-corruption NGO based in Limpopo.

Ramathuba is reported as having responded by stating that the documents were confidential and should not be in the possession of the organisation. Sello Lediga, Action SA’s Limpopo provincial chairperson, referred to scandals that have been plaguing the health department. “The people of Limpopo must assert themselves and stand up against the continued looting of the state by the ruling party,” he said.

DOH said that the department took note of the concerns caused by the leaked internal documents of the tender. “The department believes that the leaking of these documents seeks to undermine the ongoing investigation and also to delegitimise its potential findings. However, the department is pressing on with the internal investigation in order to ensure that there is maximum accountability on this matter.

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At a preliminary level, the department has also sought the counsel of some law enforcement agencies to look into the matter,” said Neil Shikwambana, Limpopo’s health spokesperson. Shikwambana further said that procurement processes for the tender had not been concluded when the issue was brought to light.

“Therefore, there has been zero activity so far as the work pertaining to the tender is concerned. No work has been done, no order has been issued, and no payment has been made,” he concluded. Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the province wrote to the Limpopo Legislature’s health portfolio committee chairperson, Simon Mathe, to request a meeting with Ramathuba and the acting head of the department (HOD), Muthweiwana Dombo,to provide clarity on the details of the tender.

“Ramathuba, together with her acting HOD, must appear before the portfolio committee and provide all relevant details around the awarding of the tender, any investigations into the matter, and any consequence management for officials involved. “We will also submit parliamentary questions to obtain all relevant information in the awarding of the contract,” the party stated.