The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) has obtained a preservation order from the Special Tribunal to freeze pension benefits of former Limpopo Department of Health’s Head of Health, Dr Thokozani Florence Mhlongo, the SIU said in a statement.
The Special Tribunal order interdicts and restrain the Government Employees Pension Fund from paying out or transferring any benefits due to Dr Mhlongo, pending the final determination of civil proceedings, for recovery of damages or losses suffered by the Department to be instituted within 60 days.
The SIU approached the Special Tribunal to freeze pension benefits of Dr Mhlongo after she resigned with immediate effect in June 2022, in the face of a disciplinary hearing, which emanated from SIU investigation in the affairs of the Department relating to the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) in response to Covid-19 pandemic.
SIU investigations have uncovered irregularities in the appointment of services providers Chinipro Pty Ltd, Pro Secure Pty Ltd and Ndia Business Trading for the supply and delivery of PPE items.
These procurements resulted in the Department incurring irregular and wasteful expenditure of approximately R182 million.
Furthermore, the SIU investigation revealed that Dr Mhlongo, as the accounting officer, allegedly exposed the Department to a wasteful expenditure when she authorised the procurement and payment of 10 000 cell phones to the value of R10 million for Covid-19 household screening. Only 388 of the 10 000 cell phones were distributed between September 2020 and March 2021, and the cell phones were distributed without the required screening application, SIU investigation revealed.
The Department distributed 9 588 cell phones to community health workers for Covid-19 vaccination without the required application installed.
The SIU welcomed the preservation order granted by the Special Tribunal. “This is a continuation of the implementation of the SIU investigation outcomes and consequence management to recover assets and financial losses suffered by state institutions and to prevent further losses,” the SIU statement read.
“The SIU will continue to pursue officials who resign in the face of an investigation or in the face of a disciplinary action by freezing their pension benefits and institute civil litigation to recover financial losses suffered by state institutions,” the statement concluded.