Central SA
Questions mounting over possible suspension of Health HOD─── LUCKY NKUYANE 14:07 Thu, 17 Mar 2022
Questions are mounting over whether the Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela will eventually practice the principles of consequence management and suspend the acting Head of the Department of Health, who is facing criminal charges in a court of law.
The National Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) in the Free State has since expressed its disappointment. The union says it is dismayed by the alleged reluctance of the premier to take decisive action and immediately suspend Godfrey Mahlatsi, pending his corruption case.
OFM News has in February 2022 reported that the 52-year-old Mahlatsi has been added as a suspect in an alleged tender fraud case worth R8 million. The alleged fraud dates back to when he was an accounting officer between 2014 and 2017.
Also read: #BreakingNews: Current FS Health HOD in cuffs
A year ago, the ANC's National Executive Committee (NEC) finally decided on the step-aside rule. It's resolved that any member charged with corruption or other serious crimes must step aside within 30 days, or be suspended.
Also read: ANC NEC takes decision on step-aside rule
The spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the Free State, Phaladi Shuping, previously told OFM News that during the aforementioned period, Mahlatsi was overseeing the department alongside his co-accused in the case, the suspended registrar of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), David Motau.
The state maintains that Motau and Mahlatsi were notified by the Auditor-General (AG) that something was amiss concerning R8 million worth of tenders awarded between January 2011 and December 2015. The two accounting officers stand accused of not acting against this corruption, and as such contravening the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).
The Health Department had two accounting officers at the time because it was under administration. It was therefore under the watch of the Provincial Finance Department, where Mahlatsi was stationed before being moved in 2021.
Mahlatsi has handed himself over to the Hawks and has since been granted bail of R5000. Overall, there are 16 accused and 6 companies in the case.
It’s alleged the companies involved falsified and forged documents, invoicing the department for services that allegedly were never rendered.
The Premier’s Office is yet to reply to OFM News’ inquiry.
