Special Tribunal orders that 'ambulance' scooter tender be halted pending review

At a sitting of the Special Tribunal this morning, advocate Selby Makgotho said they had received no papers from either Health MEC Sindiswa Gomba, superintendent-general Thobile Mbengashe or the department's chief financial officer, Msulwa Daca. However, in their correspondence to him they indicated that they were not opposing the granting of an interdict.

He said the winning contractor, Fabkomp, initially filed a notice to oppose the application but subsequently withdrew their opposition.

A R10-million contract to build mobile clinics for the Eastern Cape health department was awarded to Fabkomp in May this year. According to a document released by the provincial treasury, the contract was to be funded by money earmarked for the provincial Covid-19 response.

It later emerged that the project would only be rolled out over the next few years.

At the launch of the scooters, attended by Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhizen, the department took Mkhize for a ride in the wrong vehicle. These vehicles were ambulances that were intended for Kenya. 

Mkhize later said the ambulance scooters did not comply with standards set for emergency vehicles. The Eastern Cape health department then backtracked, saying that they had “shown the minister the wrong vehicle”, and claimed they had wanted to show him “what was possible”.

Following a public outcry over the scooters, the department then, according to the SIU, issued a new contract for “modified scooters” after they began an investigation.

The Special Tribunal, chaired by Judge Gidfonia Mlindelwa Makhanya, has been established to recover public funds lost through corruption, fraud and illicit money flows.

The chairperson of the health committee in the Eastern Cape legislature, Mxolisi Dimaza, said they have completed their report on the tender, with input from the provincial treasury and the department of transport, and will present it at the next session of the house.

The Democratic Alliance's Jane Cowley said serious questions have been asked about how the tender originated and whether the purchase of the scooters provides value for money.

“But more worrying is that the department of health entered into the contract in the first place, as all medical fleet procurement in the province is managed through the transport department. 

“This is just one of a litany of faux pas made by the MEC during the Covid-19 pandemic, which has been deemed one of the worst health crises the province has faced.

“The DA has repeatedly called on Premier Oscar Mabuyane to remove both the MEC and the head of department. We trust that the Special Tribunal will get to the bottom of this mess and that those responsible are held to account,” said Cowley.

The department did not respond to a request for comment.

Makgotho said while none of the parties opposed the interdict, all have indicated that they will present their case during the application by the SIU to have the tender reviewed and set aside.

He said they have received a formal undertaking that “modifications” to the scooters, which the department has asked for under the new contract, would not go ahead. DM/MC