Sanco calls for arrest of NW health head
Thabo Lekalakala believed to be involved in Gupta-linked corruption
THE SOUTH African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) has called for the arrest of North West Health Department head Thabo Lekalakala for alleged corruption, and for Premier Supra Mahumapelo’s role in the matter to be investigated.
“This follows Lekalakala’s confession to the provincial legislature standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) that he had, together with his wife and another couple, undertaken an all-expenses paid trip to India sponsored by the Gupta-linked company Mediosa,” Sanco national spokesman Jabu Mahlangu said.
“The role of (Mahumapelo) in the saga and his relationship with the Guptas must also be thoroughly probed, because he is seemingly misusing public office to defend their interests as he has done in the case of the controversial Waterkloof landing and numerous other occasions on different media platforms.”
He commended members of the provincial legislature for demanding accountability, and Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi for undertaking a fact-finding visit to the province to appraise himself of the mobile clinic services rendered by Mediosa.
Mahlangu called on national government to place the North West Health Department under administration and to investigate whether the Free State Health Department had used the same modus operandi to award a similar contract to Mediosa.
“If open bids were not followed and millions advanced to the company, as was the case in the North West, then those who were involved must similarly face the wrath of the law for violating the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and (National) Treasury regulations,” Mahlangu said.
Advance payments of millions to service providers should be investigated across all spheres of government as part of the state capture investigation, he said.
Motsoaledi took a walkabout at the mobile clinic site in Setlagole, at Ratlou municipality on Friday. He announced that the contract would be terminated as it served no purpose for residents “except siphoning money from the Health Department to the Guptas”.
The Mediosa project was “an ATM card” for the Gupta family, he said.
On Friday, Mahumapelo accused Motsoaledi of taking a “populist approach”, and said he would rather speak to President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC than Motsoaledi about the mobile clinic contract. – African News Agency (ANA)