Finance Minister Tito Mboweni says there is a prima facie case to be made for probing the awarding of some tenders for COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
The minister says law enforcement agencies must take action.
Mboweni was addressing the joint meeting of committees of Finance of Parliament on the procurement of the equipment.
This follows allegations of widespread corruption in the awarding of some tenders.
He says it’s clear that Treasury’s instructions on the procurement of the equipment were disregarded.
“It would appear that there is a prima facie case to be made. That not in all instances was the National Treasury’s instructions followed. That then becomes the subject of the administrative system. The subject for the political or the executive authorities to follow up with the accounting officers.”
@TreasuryRSA Minister @tito_mboweni at Parliament’s finance committees from the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces detailing procurement and #PPEcorruption pic.twitter.com/VzDXcJSTsM
— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) August 5, 2020
“Secondly, it is now up to the law enforcement agencies to follow up on those companies which were awarded the tenders, on what was done wrong to ensure that the culprits are brought to book,” adds the minister.
Emergency Procurement Presentation by the National Treasury:
Emergency Procurement Presentation National Treasury (Text)
Earlier on Wednesday, the Competition Commission said they are contemplating investigating firms and state officials allegedly involved in heavily inflating the price of personal protective equipment.
This follows allegations of irregularities in the awarding of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) tenders, involving – among others the husband of Presidency spokesperson, Khusela Diko.
A COVID-19 expenditure report has revealed that Thandisizwe Diko’s Royal Bacha company charged the Gauteng Department of Health R58 per surgical mask, which has a regulated price of R12.48.
Competition Commissioner Tembinkosi Bonakele says they are having discussions with the Special Investigating Unit regarding allegations of this nature.
Competition Commissioner explains why they are fining some companies – but not the people who provide masks to government:
