Health
With reference to a SCOPA meeting in which the head of his Department announced that during the period 2005-2009 he was aware that certain officials were put under pressure to award certain tenders to companies not capable of delivering,
(1) whether this has been brought to his attention; if so, (a) who was involved in exerting the pressure and (b) what was the result of the undue pressure; if not;
(2) whether he will investigate and report back to the House; if not, why not; if so, when?
(1) The Head of Department’s comments related to the awarding of contracts during this period such as those awarded for the renovation of the Western Cape College of Nursing, the Valkenberg Hospital Admissions Unit and the drive (at that time) to appoint emerging contractors in the Department of Transport and Public Works.
Such pressure resulted in contractors being appointed who did not have the capacity to undertake the projects. In the two cases in question, this resulted in failures of the contractors to complete the contracts. Our Department cannot comment on whether undue or irregular pressure, other than the drive to support emerging contractors, was exerted to award the contracts referred to or any others.
The Head of Department was also asked if undue pressure had ever been placed on him to award or influence the award of contracts. His response was that he had never experienced pressure of this nature.
(2) See above response.
