Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi has vowed to crack down on corruption in the provincial health system, announcing lifestyle audits and open tender processes as key measures to tackle it.
This comes after the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) released damning findings on looting at Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital.
Lesufi was speaking at the SIU briefing on Monday and insisted there would be zero tolerance for corruption, regardless of who is implicated.
“Even though the report says corruption can be low level, entry level or any other level, to us corruption is corruption and it must be hunted regardless of those who are involved and the levels they occupy within government,” he said.
“We’ll stop at nothing to ensure managers of institutions or those who are leading the institutions account for their acts.”
Lesufi said steps are being taken to improve accountability, including lifestyle audits for all Gauteng heads of department (HOD), the director-general, MECs and himself.
“We remain the only provincial government that has finalised lifestyle audits of all their HODs, the DGs, MECs and premier. Those who lead our institutions must be fully aware they’re being watched and their lifestyles are being monitored.
Lesufi said lifestyle audits are being rolled out for supply chain managers despite pushback.
“There was serious resistance to this because lifestyle audits are not legislated. We insisted, and we are at the tail end of receiving lifestyle audits for all supply chain managers,” he said.
He said Gauteng’s open tender system was being strengthened.
“Tenders are adjudicated publicly in the presence of members of society rather than in the offices of managers. We’ve released 89 forensic reports commissioned by departments and we are more than willing to implement the recommendations.”
Lesufi reiterated the SIU investigation confirmed widespread graft and highlighted the urgent need to protect whistle-blowers who risk their lives to expose wrongdoing.
“As the minister indicated, we support the call for people such as Babita Deokaran, Sindiso Magaqa, Mpho Mafole and others to be rewarded for their hard work, sacrifices and commitment. Today the minister added Mr T,” he said.
He pledged support for the family of Mafole, who was killed last week in what activists fear was a targeted hit linked to his anti-corruption work. Mafole, 47, was killed in a drive-by shooting on the R23 in Kempton Park while driving home from a meeting.
“We are supporting the Mafole family when the killer or killers are back in court and we continue to monitor the case,” said Lesufi.
Lesufi said the SIU’s interim report validated concerns raised by the provincial government in 2022.
“When I received the report, we immediately expanded the contract with the SIU and requested them to extend their mandate by requesting a full declaration by the president into Tembisa Hospital,” he said.
Lesufi said the SIU report proved the probe was needed.
“The report is damning and disturbing. We are grateful the SIU executed the mandate so diligently and professionally.”
Lesufi said the province was ready to implement the SIU’s recommendations and expand the probe to other hospitals with suspicious procurement spikes.
“There are indications the same modus operandi is taking place in other hospitals in the province and we need to move with speed.”
Lesufi said the provincial government would cooperate with all oversight bodies.
“This morning we were requested by the Gauteng standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) to provide full reports of all investigations conducted by the auditor-general, the public protector, the SIU, the National Prosecuting Authority and the public service commission. A detailed 53-page report has been dispatched to Scopa, and we’ve asked our communications team to release it publicly,” he said.
The premier said Gauteng had “nothing to hide” and would continue its four-year partnership with the SIU.
“We will continue the partnership, and every report from whistle-blowers and forensic investigations, will immediately be dispatched for further investigation.”
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