North West health department corruption – unsigned probe was part of plot to oust administrator

Several weeks ago, newspaper headlines accused Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla of being involved in a cover-up of corruption in a R1.2-billion tender-rigging scandal and of smothering the report of an investigation into corruption in North West.

However, an investigation by Daily Maverick has gathered evidence that the claims against the minister are baseless and actually connected to an attempt by a “business forum” in North West to smear the former administrator of the North West health department, and stymie her efforts to root out corruption and maladministration in the province.

The background to these allegations is important to understand.

In April 2018, the department was placed under administration in terms of section 100 (1)(b) of the Constitution. This came after years of failing services, medicine stockouts and allegations of corruption. The person appointed as the administrator, Jeanette Hunter, was a deputy director-general in the National Health Department, and an official with extensive experience in managing healthcare services going back 25 years when she started work in the Northern Cape health department in 1998.

From the moment she took over, Hunter says she sought to impose rules and order on the ailing department, where for a long time corrupt officials had ruled the roost and stolen with impunity. However, in late 2019 she became embroiled in a dispute over a R1.2-billion tender for the provision of security services at health facilities throughout the province. After the tender was awarded several bidding companies claimed they had been unfairly disqualified. The matter was taken on review at the high court, where it was set aside by an order of court on 31 July 2020. 

The North West health department, aware of its administrative errors, did not oppose the review. Linked to issues of maladministration in the department, three of its officials, including the chief of supply chain management and the chief financial officer, were suspended.

However, unbeknown to Hunter, an organisation calling itself the Bokone Bophirima Business Forum (BBBF) had seized on the tender dispute (even though it was not one of the bidders) to make a series of allegations of “illegal activities” against Hunter – allegations she says were completely fabricated and lies. 

In June 2020, the BBBF wrote to the then health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize, claiming that “she has created a mess of epic proportions” and calling for an investigation into Hunter. They also told the minister they were planning to open a criminal case against her. This was during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in South Africa, so, perhaps not surprisingly, their letter went unattended. In the meantime the high court set aside the tender and ordered that it be reissued within six months. 

One would have thought that would be the end of it.

Health DG Sandile Buthelezi. (Photo: Gallo Images / Papi Morake)

Report not signed

Misinformation campaign

Sources have told

• When she was appointed administrator the North West health department had been riddled with corruption “at all levels” and there had been a sustained campaign to get rid of her as she set about cleaning up the department; and


• The members of the BBBF were not part of the contested security tender or even a genuine “business forum”. Instead, she described them as a group which behaved as if they were politically connected. Implying that they are involved in extortion, she said they “wanted 30% of every tender without doing anything”. She said that even before the tender dispute they had spread misinformation to try to turn the premier against her.