The DA in Mpumalanga welcomes the proclamation 197 of 2024 by President Cyril Ramaphosa which directs the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate allegations of maladministration into the affairs of the Mpumalanga Department of Health (MDOH).
The investigation will concentrate on procurement, or the contracting of health care risk waste management services by the department of health, and determine whether payments made adhered to national treasury guidelines. Furthermore, it will also ascertain if the payments were irregular, fruitless and wasteful or financial losses for the department or the state.
The proclamation covers allegations of unlawful and improper conduct that occurred between 1 January 2014 and 4 October 2024 as well as any related activities before 1 January 2014 and after the date of the proclamation that is pertinent to the matters under investigation or involves the same persons, entities or contracts.
It is concerning that this is the second proclamation signed by the President in just two years, and recently the SIU obtained a preservation order to freeze approximately R2 Million from the pension fund of Mr TS Moralo who was the former assistant director and manager of pharmaceutical services.
Although the DA welcomes the SIU investigation, we strongly believe and reiterate our call to the Mpumalanga Premier, Mandla Ndlovu, to not waste more time or recourses and recall the MEC of Health, Sasekani Manzini, as she has allowed this alleged corruption to take place under her watch.