Gauteng Health Department now buying food from fishy companies in the Free State

Despite the previous controversy over purchasing hospital food from Limpopo, the Gauteng Health Department is now under fire for buying food from suspicious companies in the Free State.

In response to questions posed in the Gauteng Legislature, Gauteng Health and Wellness MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko revealed that a food supply contract from the Free State Provincial Government has been utilized in Gauteng since June 1, 2024.

The companies supplying food to Gauteng hospitals are not based in the province and include Carved Business Solutions in Welkom, M P Ngophe Caterers JV Batsi Hospitality in Thaba nchu, and Baikemetseng Bomme General Trading in Bloemfontein.

The Department claims that this decision was made due to the lack of a contract in place after the previous transversal contract had expired, and it was a temporary measure to ensure the continuous supply of food items.

However, the Democratic Alliance (DA) is raising concerns about the necessity of sourcing food from other provinces when there are local companies in Gauteng that could provide the same products.

The DA is particularly suspicious of the high costs associated with purchasing items such as brown bread for R20.68 from Carved Business Solutions in Welkom, which does not appear to be a registered food company.

This latest development has sparked outrage among critics who believe that corruption and incompetence are at play within the Department.

Last year, hospitals in Gauteng faced food shortages, and patients suffered as a result.

The DA is calling for a thorough investigation into all questionable contracts and for a more transparent and fair process for awarding contracts to ensure the best value for money in running public hospitals.