Reports still under wraps

2003-10-10 16:48

Pretoria - Mpumalanga Premier Ndaweni Mahlangu said on Friday he would not give reports related to alleged irregularities in the provincial health department to Democratic Alliance MPL Clive Hatch.

His office said it had written a letter to Hatch on Friday to inform him that the forensic and Public Service Commission reports had been referred to the criminal justice system for investigation and the prosecution of those criminally liable.

"The authority to release or not to release the reports concerned, which are the basis of criminal charges, now lies with the National Director of (Public) Prosecutions of this country."

Hatch was therefore advised to approach the prosecuting authority to get access to the reports, Mahlangu's statement said.

By lunchtime on Friday, Hatch said he had not seen the Premier's letter yet and would respond when he had seen it.

According to media reports, three separate investigations have uncovered massive fraud and corruption in the department.

This allegedly includes expenditure of about a third of the province's R19m HIV/Aids budget on soccer matches, plays, prayer days and the unregistered charity of a local chief, as well as irregularities with tender procedures and the purchase of unnecessary hospital equipment.

Last month Hatch, who is also the provincial DA leader, insisted that the reports be released.

Mahlangu refused, saying disciplinary proceedings against the suspected wrongdoers might be prejudiced if the reports were released before their cases had been adjudicated.

The DA then undertook to pursue the release by means of the Promotion of Access to Information Act.

The disciplinary hearings of nine officials implicated in the alleged irregularities started late last month.

All but one are former or current employees of the department - including its former head, Riena Charles, and chief financial officer Richard Mnisi.

- SAPA