Investigation Launched Into R800 Mln Oxygen Plants Tender Corruption

Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean MacPherson has launched an independent investigation into the Independent Development Trust IDT following corruption allegations relating to an 800 million tender to install Oxygen plants at Health facilities across South Africa.

It was reported that two of the companies involved were not approved by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority SAHPRA.

Concerns raised include fraudulent documentation by companies lacking necessary accreditation and governance issues within IDT, exacerbated by an inquorate board.

McPhearson elaborates on this matter, Initially, the board said that it was going to investigate the matter. I said that they cannot investigate themselves, that is un-procedural. So, we believe, and I believe that departments cannot investigate. Thats why well be launching an independent investigation that will get to the bottom of this. How it came about, how the costs escalated to R800 million. And how companies that did not have the required licenses and did not even have physically verifiable addresses were awarded these tenders in the first place."