North West ANCYL urges health department probe

THE ANC Youth League (ANCYL) in North West urged the national government to institute a forensic investigation into the provincial Department of Health following reports it had paid R30 million up front to a Gupta-linked company.

ANCYL spokesperson Tshiamo Tsotetsi said the national government, not the province, should launch the probe.

North West premier Supra Mahumapelo instituted a forensic investigation into the department on Monday.

It followed allegations that the department paid Mediosa R30m and made a further R180m available to the company

“We call on the North West premier to withdraw his participation and allow the upper sphere of government to institute the forensic investigations on the matter at hand.

“He must allow the process to be credible and dignified,” Tsotetsi said.

Mahumapelo had chaired the executive council that put three departments under administration – one of which was the Department of Health in April 2015.

“This would have meant that the Department of Health was not able to execute any big transaction without the knowledge and approval of Exco and the provincial treasury,” said Tsotetsi.

He said it was public knowledge that Mahumapelo was allegedly an ally of the Gupta family.

“Therefore, Mahumapelo’s participation in instituting a forensic investigation on a subject matter he is possibly implicated in will certainly rob the process of its credibility.

“We therefore call on the national Department of Health or relevant law enforcement authorities to lead a process of any form of investigations on the North West health department debacle,” he said.

Following a marathon meeting of the legislature portfolio committee that lasted from late Tuesday night to early Wednesday morning, the Hawks were roped in to probe allegations of fraud and corruption. – African News Agency (ANA)

HE SAID IT WAS PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE THAT MAHUMAPELO WAS ALLEGEDLY AN ALLY OF THE GUPTA FAMILY