Durban - The company that leased a mobile hospital unit to the KwaZulu-Natal health department for R52.5 million said on Thursday that it had complied with all the requirements of the tender.
In a brief statement Dr Nandi Sakhile Msimang, the chief executive of the company, said: “Mzansi Lifecare (Pty) Ltd registered an application to supply mobile medical units, and after complying with legal tender requirements was transparently awarded the tender contract in 2013 to supply one mobile truck with specific health care equipment in terms of a KwaZulu-Natal department of health tender.”
She said the company had delivered 1/8the vehicle 3/8 “in accordance with all the tender requirements”.
Mzani's statement follows an investigation by Sapa and published on Tuesday which revealed that the department would spend about R61m on two vehicles, one of which was a mobile hospital vehicle leased from Mzansi Lifecare (Pty) Ltd for R52.5m over three years.
Msimang also apologised for a threatening phone call that Sapa journalist Giordano Stolley received within four hours of sending questions to the company querying the tender.
A man who identified himself as Patrick King told Stolley that:
“I'm saying to you that if I found out that you write the wrong things about us, then I will deal with you personally.”
Msimang said on Thursday she “unconditionally apologises for Mr Patrick King's outburst” and that it was an “emotional reaction” that she had not authorised.
Sapa