Geneva Fund To Investigate R428 Million Oxygen Tender, South Africans Disappointed

• The Global Fund, based in Geneva, Switzerland, is sending a team of investigators to probe a multimillion-rand tender
• It's believed that an unaccredited South African company received a the tender to supply oxygen to hospitals in the country
• Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi made the revelation during a question-and-answer session in Parliament

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, has covered policy changes, the State of the Nation Address, Parliament and Parliamentary committees, politician-related news and elections at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News for over seven years.

SOUTH AFRICA—The Global Fund has dispatched investigators to investigate an unaccredited company that received a tender to supply oxygen.

Global Fund to probe tender corruption

TimesLIVE reported that the Global Fund, based in Geneva, supplied R428 million to provide 55 hospitals with highly technical pressure swing adsorption oxygen plants. However, the Independent Development Trust, an entity from the Department of Public Works, awarded the tender to a company not accredited by the SA Health Professions Regulatory Authority.

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Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi told Members of Parliament that the news broke over two weeks ago, and President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered an investigation. He revealed that Minister Dean Macpherson is investigating the matter. The Global Fund reportedly funds health projects in the country to R10 billion every three years. He indicated that the tender had already been awarded, but work had not begun.

SA frustrated

Netizens on Facebook were frustrated at the news of yet another case of possible tender corruption.

Dankie Dlamini said:

"Why do health department tenders always have corruption issues?"

Leset Khutso said:

"Most of the money ended in the pockets of our millionaire politicians. A R500 million loan during COVID-19 is still unaccounted for."

Willie Loots asked:

"Will they ever learn?"

Reese Dunn said:

"Thieves. It runs deep in them."

Khulu Hadebe said:

"Corruption!"

6 Arrested for Eskom-related fraud

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In a related article, Briefly News reported that six people were arrested for Eskom-related fraud.

The suspects were charged with theft, fraud and money laundering and were accused of laundering R400 million.

Source: Briefly News