Microwave supplier out of pocket

MICROWAVES are supposed to speed things up. But a Port Elizabeth businesswoman is waiting in frustration after an apparent bureaucratic bungle left her R11 000 out of pocket for 10 microwave ovens she supplied to the government.

Nolukholo Sayis, from Sizumi Trading, was asked by the Department of Health to supply the microwave ovens for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) stations around the Sarah Baartman district.

Sayis said the microwaves were delivered in October to the stores at Dora Nginza Hospital with her invoice for R11 037.

“After 30 days without getting payment I contacted EMS, and was told that they were waiting for approval from Bhisho [department head office],” Sayis said.

“On November 27 I spoke to one of the managers who told me they are struggling with ‘pre-audit’, otherwise my payment was approved.

“She said they could not pay until pre-audit signed off and she was not sure when the problem will be resolved.

“As a supplier, I do not understand why the department’s internal problems should affect my business.

“We are being taken for granted and it is unacceptable.”

Sayis said she had been doing business with the department for years and she had never heard of “pre-audit”.

By December 5, several senior personnel in the department of clinical support services promised to have the issue sorted by December 15.

Sayis said that three weeks later, nothing had happened.

In her latest e-mail to the Department of Health, she said she would now take legal action.

“You will hear from my attorneys,” she wrote. “I will let other South Africans know what a raw deal we are getting.”

Health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said service providers should never agree to render any service unless they were sure the necessary procedures were in place.

He said “pre-audit” was their internal payment audit office.

“That office is responsible for the prevention of irregular payments. If payments have not met procurement processes, they are rejected by that office.”

Kupelo said yesterday the problem was that Sayis did not have an order number.

However, Sayis then supplied the invoice showing that she did have an order number.

Kupelo later said the department had now found that the request for the microwaves had been issued irregularly. “It is the EMS officials’ fault.” He said the matter had been referred to head office in Bhisho.