The Gauteng Legislature has claimed that its watchdog role over the provincial government’s health was effective despite two public health institutions, Tembisa and Life Esidimeni hospitals, in the province having been caught in deadly controversies.

This assertion comes amid ongoing investigations into alleged R2 billion tender fraud at Tembisa Hospital and follows the 2017 Life Esidimeni tragedy where approximately 140 mental health patients died due to systemic negligence.

Some organisations have blamed the parliament for not putting in place strong measures to hold those in charge of public institutions accountable. 

Provincial legislature spokesperson Thabisile Nzuke said the legislature has implemented its Sector Oversight Model (SOM) to ensure that the executive delivers on its mandate in line with policy commitments, budget allocations, and service delivery targets.

“Within this framework, the Health and Wellness Portfolio Committee exercises ongoing oversight over the Department of Health and Wellness, ensuring accountability in the management of public health resources.

“The Committee systematically analyses departmental performance, budget expenditure, and governance processes to safeguard against inefficiencies and potential misuse of funds,” said Nzuke.

National Parliament’s spokesperson, Moloto Mothapo, had not responded to questions sent to him on Wednesday about the performance of the parliament in monitoring the government. 

National Parliament’s Health Portfolio Committee chairperson Sibongiseni Dhlomo declined to respond. 

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) recently released its damning interim report, revealing that a number of syndicates and health staff, including senior managers, nurses, and clerks, were behind the looting of the Tembisa Hospital through breaching the supply chain management policies.

The corruption at Tembisa Hospital had been linked to the murder of health official Babita Deokaran, who blew the whistle.   

Businessmen, Rudolph Mazibuko, Hangwani Morgan Maumela and Vusimuzi Matlala have been cited as operators of main criminal syndicates. 

Nzuke said the Health and Wellness Portfolio Committee exercises ongoing oversight over the Department of Health and Wellness to ensure accountability in the management of public health resources.

“The Committee systematically analyses departmental performance, budget expenditure, and governance processes to safeguard against inefficiencies and potential misuse of funds,” she said.

However, she said, despite the Legislature’s solid framework for accountability, there was still a need to strengthen its follow-through mechanisms to ensure that oversight recommendations lead to tangible corrective action.

“The Health and Wellness Portfolio Committee, in particular, continues to refine how it monitors the implementation of remedial measures, especially in cases where irregularities have been identified—such as those highlighted in the SIU’s interim report on Tembisa Hospital.

“In this regard, it is the Committee’s responsibility to ensure that all recommendations by the SIU are acted upon by the Department and that progress is closely tracked,” Nzuke said.

The Committee was also striving to respond swiftly and decisively to matters reported to it by intervening before the issues escalate, she said.

She said in several instances, the Committee has acted promptly without waiting for a formal meeting to engage the department directly where concerns arose.

“Looking ahead, the Committee aims to strengthen its collaboration with external oversight institutions, including the Auditor-General, the SIU, and the Public Service Commission,” she said. 

Nzuke said such cooperation will enhance early detection of governance failures to reinforce a culture of accountability, transparency, and ethical governance across the public health system.

“While the Legislature often relies on departmental reports as part of its oversight process, the Tembisa matter may create the impression that the Oversight Committees are reactive. 

“However, there are numerous instances often unreported by the media where the Committee has acted proactively to prevent or uncover malfeasance and has made strong recommendations to address such occurrences,” said Nzuke.

Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) chief executive officer Wayne Duvenage attributed the government’s weak system to prevent fraud, corruption, and maladministration to the national and provincial parliaments’ “long period of arrogance”.

He said certain politicians looked away when wrongdoings happened because this financially benefited not only their political parties, but themselves, family members and friends. 

“Greed has blinded their conscience and thereby, parliament began to negate its oversight duties, allowing SOE’s and departments to be plundered and weakened,” Duvenage said.

He said it was parliament’s work to ensure that those in charge of government institutions subscribed to their oath of office.

He suggested that there should be electoral reform that would enable electorates to elect the right people into parliament.  

“The people never chose those candidates – this was done in the corridors of the political party. Now, if the electorate knows who their representative is in their constituency when it comes to voting, this changes things,” he said.

Accountability Now director Advocate Paul Hoffman called for the parliament to amend the constitution to allow the establishment a new Chapter Nine Anti-Corruption Commission (Ch9ACC), which will be protected from political interference, have powers to investigate, effect arrests, and prosecute alleged perpetrators.

Hoffman’s anti-corruption organisation made submissions to the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee, which are conducting investigations into the KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s allegation that there was political interference in the work of the police, suggesting that the parliament should give Hawks an adequate degree of independence from politics. 

Accountability Now also called for the parliament to fast-track the passing of a bill introduced by DA MP Adv Glynnis Breytenbach in November last year that would enable the establishment of the Ch9ACC. 

“Anti-Corruption Commission (Ch9ACC) will be better able to tackle corruption than the current system has done so since the disbandment of the Scorpions in 2008,” said Hoffman. 

bongani.hans@inl.co.za 

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