DA writes to Ramaphosa to widen SIU graft probe to other provinces

FILE | Tembisa Hospital entrance.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it has written to President Cyril Ramaphosa to expand the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into corruption at Tembisa Hospital in Gauteng to other provinces, including North West.

DA MP Michele Clarke says they want the SIU to probe Hangwani Maumela and those who might be part of a tender fraud syndicate in the North West.

Maumela is linked to three syndicates implicated in the coordinated looting at the hospital.

Speaking to SABC News, Clarke says Maumela attempted to secure an R1 billion food supply tender in the North West earlier this year.

“I’m asking President Cyril Ramaphosa and I’ve written to him already that he must include all dealings of Hangwani Morgan Maumela and his syndicate, including Maumela’s latest attempt to secure R 1 billion food supply tender in the North West because he’s part of this issue and now there is a tender that he is wanting to secure within the North West, and the SIU need to investigate these corrupt networks that are being extended further on.”

SIU report

Some civil society groups have weighed in on the SIU report. Imali Yethu Civil Society Coalition for Open Budgets says there is an urgent requirement for procurement reforms in public financial management.

The Society’s Lead Coordinator Zukiswa Kota says until there is a comprehensive and holistic approach in combating corruption, the spate of wrongdoing will continue unabated.

Kota says, “It’s clear that the need for systemic reforms of procurements and financial management is systems is ever urgent. Prevention and early detection of corruption must be prioritised.”

He says, “Our coalition calls for comprehensive whole of government prioritisation of reforms to ensure genuine transparency in public procurement contracting and in public financial systems. We call for swift, decisive actions from the South African Police Services and the national prosecuting authority to hold all of those implicated criminals accountable under the full extent of the law. ”