Tag: Nomathemba Mokgethi

The Democratic Alliance is calling for Gauteng Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi to be fired for failing to institute a full investigation into allegations of corruption made by whistleblower Babita Deokaran shortly before she was murdered last year.

This follows her evasive reply to my questions earlier this week in the Gauteng Legislature where she claimed that Babita made no “formal” request for a forensic investigation into dodgy payments by Tembisa Hospital.

She should surely have ensured that all Babita’s email and WhatsApp messages were analysed and followed up for clues as to why someone wanted her dead.

It’s not enough to suspend the Department’s CFO and the Tembisa Hospital CEO, there needs to be political accountability as well.

The only reason we are seeing action now is because journalists have exposed the fishy companies that got millions of rand for overpriced goods.

Mokgethi has also declined to respond to the accusation by the SA National Civic Organisation (SANCO) in June this year that she knew all about the Tembisa Hospital payments, and was “the mastermind” in order to fund factional ANC battles.

We know at least one senior ANC figure, Mr Sello Sekhokho, got R2.3 million from the hospital for overpriced goods from three of his companies.

Mokgethi was either asleep at the wheel in not pursuing credible allegations of corruption at the hospital, or she colluded in the cover-up by CFO Lerato Madyo and others.

Meanwhile, multiple disasters continue to hurt patients in Gauteng public hospitals, including staff shortages, equipment breakdowns and slow payment of suppliers.

My view is that the MEC is part of the problem and not part of the solution.

She should go!

Gauteng Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi will face official questions tomorrow on the splurge of Tembisa Hospital payments that murdered whistleblower Babita Deokaran flagged as “possibly fraudulent.”

My question on the order paper for oral reply at the sitting of the Gauteng Legislature is as follows:

“With regard to investigations by News24 concerning Babita Deokaran’s request for a forensic investigation into payments made by Tembisa Hospital, will the MEC please indicate:

1. Did the acting Head of Department or any other official at the time receive such a request;

2. If so, why was no forensic investigation done into the Tembisa Hospital payments that she flagged as suspicious;

3. Whose decision was it not to do a forensic investigation into the Tembisa Hospital payments;

4. Was the MEC aware at any stage of any request or observation by Babita Deokaran of suspicious payments at Tembisa Hospital;

5. If so, what was the MEC’s role in this matter?”

After much delay, the Department’s CFO Lerato Madyo has been suspended as well as the Tembisa Hospital CEO Ashley Mthunzi, and Gauteng Premier David Makhura has announced that an investigation will be done.

The burning question is why a proper investigation was not done a year ago after Babita Deokaran was murdered.

We are talking big money – R850 million of payments to fishy companies for over-priced goods, including R500 000 for 100 leather armchairs, face cloths at R230 apiece, and

200 skinny jeans for young girls at R2500 each.

It is important that the Health MEC takes accountability for this as well.

She is required to answer my questions, and then take a follow-up question.

The DA will continue to press for full accountability and decisive measures to root out corrupt officials who steal money while hospital patients suffer from poor service.