Question NW1612 to the Minister of Health
12 June 2023 - NW1612
Marais, Ms P to ask the Minister of Health
After an SIU investigation led to the uncovering of wide scale corruption where an extraction syndicate scored over R250 million in dodgy tenders at Thembisa Hospital and given where one company, Minzorex, was red-flagged by the SIU, is still being awarded tenders to the value of R985 100 by the Edenvale Hospital as recently as January 2023, despite being already red-flagged, what is (a) the number and value of tenders awarded to Minzorex, or any of its subsidiaries, in the last 12 months, (b) what is the status of the investigation into the alleged dodgy tenders awarded to Minzorex, and what are the details in this regard, and (c) what are the reasons and details for Minzorex, or any other subsidiary, being allowed to continue to apply for tenders despite being red-flagged by the SIU? by most public hospitals in each province?
Reply:
According to the Gauteng Provincial Department of Health, Edenvale Hospital did not award any tenders to Minzorex and its subsidiaries.
a) The Gauteng Department of Health has not awarded any tenders to Minzorex and its subsidiaries in the past twelve months.
b) The investigations by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) are still in progress and the Department will implement the recommendations once investigation is concluded.
c) Suppliers been red-flagged by SIU are not prohibited to do business with government unless been blacklisted. The blacklisting of the suppliers such as Minzorex will be performed once the SIU have concluded their investigation. No provincial health department has contracted with Minzorex as per the confirmation received from the provinces.
END.