The Acting Head of the Eastern Cape Department of Health has 90 days in which to take action against officials responsible for the scooter ambulances debacle.
Acting Public Protector, Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka found the department breached PFMA provisions, Treasury regulations, and the Constitution when contracts for the scooters were awarded in June 2020.
Gcaleka released a raft of reports in Cape Town on Wednesday.
Acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka’s media briefing on investigations that the office has been conducting:
Despite the difficult circumstances her office had been working under this past year, Gcaleka says thousands of matters were finalised.
She described COVID-19 as well as the corruption pandemic as challenging, with the onset of COVID-19 giving rise to opportunistic schemes.
The Acting Public Protector has also instructed the Acting Head of the Department to ensure all officials involved attend a workshop on the relevant legislation and other policies. She says the disciplinary process should be overseen by the MEC for health.
“The MEC for Health must oversee to ensure that appropriate steps are taken in respect of disciplinary action against any decision-makers regardless of position across all the ranks of seniority who were involved in and were responsible for the non-compliance with the provisions of the SCM policy and treasury regulations pertaining to the procurement of the scooter ambulances.”
Ethics code
In the Western Cape, there was an investigation into allegations of a breach of the Executive Ethics Code by the Transport and Public Works MEC.
This followed a complaint against MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela by Brett Herron, a GOOD party member of the legislature.
Herron alleged that Madikizela had made false and misleading statements to fellow MPL’s about him.
Gcaleka found that Madikizela had willfully made misleading statements about Good Party member.
The Public Protector found that Madikizela knew that these statements were false and ruled that Premier Alan Winde take relevant action.
“The Premier of the Western Cape must in terms of section 3(6) of the Executive Members’ Ethics Act, within a reasonable time but not later than 14 days after receiving this report, submit a copy thereof and any comments thereon, together with a report on any action taken or taken in regard thereto to the WC Provincial Legislature.”
Altecia Kortje case
Allegations of improper conduct and maladministration by the Bellville Magistrate’s Court, relating to an application order, was also on the list of investigations.
This followed a request by deputy Justice and Constitutional Development Minister, John Jeffery.
The protection order was sought by Altecia Kortje against her former partner. According to media reports, she was turned away by court officials.
Days later, Kortje was murdered by her former partner.
The office of the Public Protector, following the paper trail, says it is not clear if Kortje had completed the application form and planned to return it to the court.
