SIU orders Health Department officials to pay back R30m
The Special Investigating Unit
(SIU) has ordered two officials in the Gauteng Department of Health to pay back
the R30 million to the state.
Gauteng Health’s head of department Professor Mkhululi Lukhele and former chief financial officer Kabelo Lehloenya are both implicated in the province’s personal protective equipment tender scandal.
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SIU special tribunal spokesperson Selby Makgatho says inflated prices ended up costing the state and the taxpayer some R30 million.
“The SIU has identified the former financial chief officer as one of the respondents and she has since resigned. An estimated R30 million is being claimed from the former chief financial officer and head of the department, as the two are alleged to have been actively involved where the state suffered irreparable financial loss.
“The former chief financial officer had misused her powers in terms of getting the service providers and it is alleged that she did not follow proper procedure. Service providers were appointed and allegations are that she called them telephonically where prices were inflated. Service providers were replaced without proper reasons being advanced.”
The implicated two officials are expected to appear before the tribunal after they have responded to the allegations.