Cape Town - Defence Minister Thandi Modise has revealed that no one has been held accountable yet for the irregular purchase and importation of a Cuban drug for Covid-19 by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
Modise revealed this when she was responding to parliamentary questions from DA MP Sarel Marais.
In 2020, the Department of Defence procured the drug Heberon after entering into an open-ended contract that was signed after the first delivery of the drug.
The late auditor-general Kimi Makwetu found irregularities in the procurement of the drug and that the importation of 970 895 vials did not have authorisation from the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority.
This prompted former minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to institute an investigation by appointing a three-member ministerial task team (MTT), whose report is yet to be made public.
In his parliamentary questions, Marais wanted to know whether any implicated official of the SANDF had been subjected to any disciplinary charges and hearings.
He also enquired whether any criminal case had been opened with the police.
In her response, Modise said no member or official of SANDF had been subjected to disciplinary charges and hearings.
“The chief of the SANDF has been directed to act upon all the affected members and a progress report is awaited,” Modise said.
She also said the matter was still under investigation by the Office of the Public Protector.
The minister also revealed that the Department of Defence did not open any criminal case on the matter.
“However, note has been taken that a member of the public has laid charges with the South African Police Service,” Modise said.
She said in a separate answer that the case was opened in Worcester.
In April, Modise told Parliament that the irregular procurement of Heberon was a big lesson for the army.
Briefing the defence and military veterans portfolio committee, she said the MTT found that while Covid-19 could be blamed for putting SANDF in the situation, things should never be done outside the laws of the country and processes.
She, however, noted that laws on importation of the drug were overlooked.
Modise had stated that some names of officials appeared in the MTT report, including the chief financial officer who stood firm against the procurement.
“Whoever else was part of this, we will follow because we don’t want a repeat of this,” she said at the time.
Cape Times