The KZN Department of Health has spent almost R2.5 million fixing faulty lifts at Addington Hospital, the KZN MEC for Health, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu, has revealed.
This was part of the response to parliamentary questions from IFP MPL, Ncamisile Nkwanyana, on how much has been spent by the Health Department relating to the repair of faulty lifts at Addington Hospital. The Department revealed that the expenditure as at 31 October 2020 is R2 420 653.82, paid to Schindler Lifts SA and OTIS respectively.
It is outrageous that such a large sum of money has been paid to these companies, which have been shown to be incompetent. These companies have failed dismally in fixing lifts at Addington Hospital, yet they are being paid enormous sums. Serious questions should be asked as to why these two companies continue to be awarded tenders to fix lifts. Lifts at Addington Hospital become faulty at any given moment, which puts the lives of patients and workers at risk. We are convinced that there might be someone working behind the scenes who is in cahoots with these companies, and is operating a well-orchestrated scheme for the embezzlement of public funds, under the guise of fixing lifts at Addington Hospital.
The level of incompetence and shortcuts taken by contractors in the Province has reached dangerous levels, where lives of patients are now at risk. The government seems to be fond of contractors who deliver poor projects and yet milk the government for millions of Rands.
The IFP urges the KZN Provincial Government to entrench performance-based systems for contracts, and to move towards weeding out contractors who do shoddy work. Government continues to lose millions of Rands while the contractors are not delivering as expected.
The IFP reiterates its call that the KZN MEC of Health, Nomagugu Simelane Zulu, must fire the Management of Addington Hospital. They continue to fail to manage the Hospital efficiently, and to provide the level of care that their patients deserve. This kind of ineptitude cannot be tolerated.
Lastly, the IFP demands that Schindler Lifts SA and OTIS must be blacklisted, and not be awarded any future tenders to fix lifts at any provincial healthcare facility in KwaZulu-Natal.
Questions for the MEC for Health
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Contact:
Mrs Ncamisile Nkwanyana, MPL
IFP KZN Provincial Spokesperson for Health
078 302 3991