COVID-19 GRAFT A 'HORROR STORY' - COSATU

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa's procurement system is "fundamentally flawed" and has created room for suppliers to "defraud" the state during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to ANC's alliance partner, the Congress of South DAILY African Trade Unions (Cosatu). Cosatu's parliamentary coordinator Matthew Parks yesterday, issued the federation's report on personal protective equipment (PPE) procurement, ahead of Finance Minister Tito Mboweni and Treasury's address to parliament on the same matter. "The story of Covid PPE procurement is a horror story of the State wasting precious and scarce finances on corruption and unnecessary middlemen during the worst economic crisis of our lifetimes," Cosatu's report read. "Unfortunately, the problems we identify in this report are not unique to lockdown. But they are much more pronounced currently during lockdown." In recent weeks allegations of politically-connected PPE tenders being awarded have surfaced. President Cyril Ramaphosa's spokesperson Khusela Diko and her husband as well as ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule's sons are among those who have allegedly benefited from Covid-19 tenders. Parks explained that the problems have arisen due to the shortcomings of the procurement system – it is not designed to mitigate fraud and abuse. Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO), has sent experts to assist South Africa in its fight against the novel coronavirus. Forty-three senior experts from across the globe, including infectious disease epidemiologist and public health experts Dr David Heymann and Dr Mike Ryan, are among the team who will assist the country to refine its efforts against in fighting Covid-19. "Dr Mike Ryan will lead the team from Geneva and will... provide us with constant advice while analysing our strategies, including the decisions we have taken as the Department of Health in our Covid-19 response," said Health Minister Zweli Mkhize. Mkhize made the announcement during a virtual briefing on Wednesday where he provided an update on the government's efforts to fight the coronavirus. The arrival of the team of experts comes as South Africa ranks in the top five globally in terms of the number of infections. Making the announcement, Mkhize thanked WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus for his continuous support and counsel. – NEWS24.