Fraud probe report ‘due next year’

CRIMINAL investigations into the more than R1.4 billion fraud and corruption cases allegedly involving senior officials of the Gauteng Health Department are due to be completed.

This is according to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Mike Masutha, in his written reply to questions by the DA’s Werner Horn in Parliament on November 25.

Horn asked Masutha what progress had been made by the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) into their investigations into contracts worth R1.4bn given to 3P and Baoki Consortium in 2007 while Gauteng ANC chief whip Brian Hlongwa was still MEC for Health in Gauteng. The tender was for the provision of health information systems in Gauteng hospitals.

The SIU took up the investigations in 2010 after Gauteng MEC for Health, Qedani Mahlangu, blew the whistle on alleged fraud and corruption and reported the case to President Jacob Zuma.

Masutha said a final report to the president was being prepared and was expected to be handed to the Presidency by March. He said the National Prosecuting Authority was still waiting for the forensic audit report to be finalised before a decision to prosecute could be made. No one had been charged.

Masutha said the investigating officer was still tracing outstanding documentation and arrests could be made soon after the completion of the investigations.

The DA in Gauteng expressed disappointment at the long delay of the cases.

“The Gauteng Health Department has yet to recover from Hlongwa’s disastrous tenure. It is important that justice is seen to be done,” DA health spokesman Jack Bloom said.