The Democratic Alliance (DA) has requested the Office of the Auditor General (AG) to investigate allegations of inflated payments in relation to the Kimberley psychiatric hospital.
This follows a recent media exposé by Carte Blanche wherein they claim to have proof that the Northern Cape Health Department procured certain items at prices multiple times higher than their value.
This includes the purchase of a six-seater golf cart at a cost of R500 000, whereas the going rate is apparently R250 000, as well as the acquisition of a quadbike at a cost of R140 000 as opposed to R40 000. It also includes orders for linen, or pyjamas, at the outrageous price of approximately R5 000 per set. The purchases raise countless questions.
We understand that while access control at a facility accommodating state patients is of critical importance, so too is ensuring the availability of washing powder, or of fixing broken fencing within the state patients’ unit. Even more so given that none of the automated doors of the facility are able to lock, due to ongoing electrical issues as a result of plundering of the onsite substation. The fact that the procurement of the exorbitantly priced golf cart was prioritized, above other more basic fundamentals, doesn’t make sense.
Lack of foresight in respect of the quadbike, initially intended to patrol the perimeter fencing, is also concerning. The critical lack of security at the facility, coupled with growing fear amongst security officers who refuse to do night patrols on the single-seater quad bike, have resulted in this purchase translating into fruitless and wasteful expenditure. Even more so given the submission by hospital management that they are considering buying a bakkie so that security can rather do night patrols in groups.
With regards to the linen, aside from the clearly inflated costs, the whereabouts of these orders is even more concerning. According to the reports of a nurse, there is only one sheet per bed at the facility, with no blankets and pillowcases to speak of. Who benefitted from these linen orders if it was not the hospital?
The health care system has taken significant funding knocks and cannot afford for any money to be eaten up by inflated prices and fraudulent dealings.
The inflated costs raise serious concerns of a patronage network of suppliers, acting as middlemen selling products to the department at highly inflated prices. The DA has reported the allegations and our concerns to the Office of the Auditor General, for investigation.
It is time that the mental hospital, dubbed as monument of corruption by the premier himself, must be brought down. Those abusing government procurement processes for personal gain must be exposed and criminally dealt with. The suppliers who are facilitating these deals must also be blacklisted and attempts to recover the money lost due to overcharging on goods, must be made.
The DA will monitor the findings and should any evidence of wrongdoing come to light, we will not hesitate to lay criminal charges.