Questions around PPE dumped in river

The bizarre disposal of a truckload of the much-sought-after personal protective equipment (PPE) at the Hennops River in Centurion could be due to someone intent on hiding incriminating evidence, according to Democratic Alliance (DA) Tshwane councillor Bronwyn Engelbrecht.

Engelbrecht, who serves on the metro’s health and Covid-19 committees, was commenting yesterday following the discovery of up to 30 sealed boxes containing unused PPE found dumped in the area – now being investigated by police and acting Gauteng health MEC Jacob Mamabolo.

Some high-profile leaders, including Mamabolo, visited what police have declared a crime scene.

Engelbrecht said it was unlikely a supplier would have decided to get rid of the PPE, which included gloves and masks, instead of “making a profit by selling it”.

She said: “There is no way that this constitutes theft of a vehicle or theft of PPE, because it would have been sold.

“It was definitely somebody who was trying to get rid of evidence, because these were in plastic bags.

“It was somebody disposing of evidence quickly.

“Why would someone get rid of something which is in high demand, worth several hundreds of rands?

“This, taking place amid investigations into illegal PPE tenders, is certainly part of an illegal activity to get rid of incriminating evidence.

“What will make the forensic investigation easier is the fact that companies that supplied the gloves – Promed Technologies, Medtex and Nitrile – are clearly marked.”

The latest PPE disposal scandal takes place against a background of politically connected individuals implicated in questionable multimillion-rand PPE government tenders.

Those implicated include presidency spokesperson Khusela Diko, her husband, chief Madzikane II Thandisizwe, suspended Gauteng health MEC Bandile Masuku and his wife Loyiso.

The incident has angered the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu), with general secretary Zola Saphetha saying the union found it “very unacceptable that PPE, which [is] needed by front-line workers to protect themselves and to save the lives of our people, [is] dumped in a river”.

Referring to a video circulating on social media, Saphetha said: “In the video one can see gloves and masks which are in short supply in healthcare facilities across the country.

“Some of our members and workers have had to resort to using scarves as masks and refuse bags as aprons.”

He said the video suggested the PPE was “thrown in the river by a Covidpreneur”.