News24 reports that the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has criticised the provincial health department for not blacklisting companies implicated in corruption tenders at Tembisa Hospital.

DA health spokesperson Jack Bloom said it was wrong for the department not to blacklist 12 companies that received R381 million in contracts from Gauteng hospitals over the last three years. But, during answers in the Gauteng legislature, Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said: "A company can only be prevented from doing business with the department if the matter has been investigated and if the investigation report recommend that the company must be prevented from doing business with the department." It was previously reported that the companies were linked to Hangwani Morgan Maumela – a family member of President Cyril Ramaphosa – and his relative Aluwani Titus Maumela. A purchase order report showed that Tembisa Hospital ordered 50 flat-bottomed round bowls at a cost of R496,555 in May 2020 from Sunshine Gauteng Trading, registered under Aluwani. In September 2021, Tembisa Hospital ordered 50 stainless steel kidney dishes at R456,960 from Major Goods Suppliers, registered under Hangwani. Nkomo-Ralehoko previously told the legislature that the companies did not have SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) approval to sell medical products. Sahpra has since announced it was investigating "a breach of the Medicines and Related Substances Act". Some of the contracts the 12 companies won were identified as "possibly fraudulent" by murdered whistleblower Babita Deokaran.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tebogo Monama at News24

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page