Defensor lawsuit adds to department’s woes

COPE MPL Pakes Dikgetsi stated that the latest court action against the Northern Cape Department of Health, to review the tender awarded to Defensor Security, would add to the R1.4 billion in lawsuits that the department is already facing.

He said that written questions directed to the MEC for Health and the members of the executive council at the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature in November last year regarding potential irregularities in the awarding of the tender to Defensor Security, were still awaiting response.

“Three months down the line, there has not been a single response from the authorities,” said Dikgetsi.

The questions seek to determine the total value of the contract, including escalation fees, whether the tender was approved by the MEC for Health and if any legal advice was obtained prior to the awarding of the tender.

Misled

Dikgetsi believes that the department is “clearly being wilfully mismanaged”.

“Despite the hollow statements by the premier and her executive council to fix the mess, they are failing because of their lack of urgency and seriousness to deal with the problem.

“It adds to the unacceptably high litigation against the department, which now stands at R1.4 billion and counting. Added to this disastrous situation is a cumulative irregular expenditure that exceeds R5 billion.”

Chairperson of the legal unit of the Northern Cape Civics Organisation, Ross Henderson, believes that a political instruction had been given to award the tender to Defensor Security.

“The civics organisation will join Karibuni Security, as a friend of the court, in the legal action to review the appointment of Defensor Security,” said Henderson.

Manager of Public Education and Communications at the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature, Carmen Gopane, stated that the written questions submitted by Dikgetsi during a house sitting in November were noted and referred to the Department of Health to respond.

“The matter is currently before the house. According to the standing rules, a MEC must respond within 10 working days. If the responsible MEC has not furnished a written reply to a written question within 10 working days, the Secretary must, if the member in whose name the question stands so requests, place the question on the question paper for oral reply.”

Spokesperson for the Office of the Speaker, Mpho Masina, stated that the legislature programming committee would hold its first meeting for the year tomorrow.

“That is when all Members of the Provincial Legislature are expected back from the leave period. The administration wing, however, reopened on January 4.”

She added that a schedule of all meetings would be made available once the programming committee had met.

The Office of the Premier indicated that it would respond to media enquiries today.