The Hawks have raided Tembisa Hospital in connection with dubious contracts.
PHOTO: Ntwaagae Seleka, News24
The Hawks descended on Tembisa Tertiary Hospital on Tuesday to carry out a search and seizure operation for allegedly illegal multi-million rand contracts awarded at the institution.
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Gauteng Hawks spokesman Colonel Katlego Mogale said the operation stemmed from an investigation into allegations of fraud and corruption at the hospital.
She said they had received information about R850 million in irregular contracts awarded to 217 service providers for supply chain management at the hospital.
According to Mogale, these alleged irregularities concerned contracts of less than R500,000.
“These were allegedly issued as purchase orders between 2016 and 2022.
“According to reports, these orders were made or assigned illegally and illegally, resulting in the hospital being harmed in excess of R850 million.
Mughal added:
In some contracts, hospital employees are said to have received a bonus. The investigation team will seize all relevant materials, including documents and electronic devices, deemed important to the progress of the investigation.
The investigation comes after the murder of whistleblower Babita Deokaran, chief financial accounting director at the Gauteng health department. Deokaran was murdered outside her home in south Johannesburg in August 2021 after pointing out irregular and questionable payments at the hospital.
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