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Temba Dube Deputy News Editor
MPILO Central Hospital’s director of operations, Regina Duduza Moyo, allegedly unproceduraly awarded a tender to a Bulawayo company, Landwork, that has no tax clearance and ceased operations in 2008.

Moyo allegedly handed the tender to supply 4,000 adult urine bags worth $4,000 to Landwork last year.

Last month, the hospital’s board ordered a forensic investigation into tender procedures after Moyo wrote a letter to Mpilo chief executive officer Dr Lawrence Mantiziba requesting for a bodyguard.

She alleged city businessman Ashton Mpofu had threatened to harm her following the cancellation of a $3 million tender awarded to his New Planet Company.

The tender was for refurbishing the hospital’s radio therapy centre and supplying cancer treatment machinery.

Mpofu denied threatening Moyo saying the issue stemmed from his refusal to bribe Moyo and Dr Mantiziba. He accused Moyo of pursuing a personal vendetta against him.

A Landwork director, Sizi Ncube, told The Chronicle she had explained to Moyo that the company was no longer operational but she went ahead and awarded the contract.

“We met in December and she asked if I had a registered company. I told her my company last operated during the Zimbabwe dollar era. Moyo said there was no problem, I should just bring the details of the company,” said Ncube.

She said she informed Moyo that she could not accept the tender because it would be illegal for her company to trade without a Tax Clearance certificate.

“I also told her I didn’t have money to supply tenders but she said I shouldn’t worry as she would supply the urine bags and we would share the money,” said Ncube.

According to a purchase order Number 851144 J, a copy of which is in The Chronicle’s possession, the order for the urine bags was approved and bears the Mpilo director of operations and central buying unit stamps.

It is dated December 19, 2014.

Ncube said she was waiting for payment when she read in The Chronicle that an audit had been instituted and decided to come clean because she did not want her name to be dragged in the mud.

Investigations by The Chronicle have established that the urine bags were supplied at a retail price of $1 each.

It is the director of operations’ job to ensure that the hospital is supplied with the best quality products at competitive prices.

Moyo could not be reached for comment as her phone rang continuously without being answered.

Last time, she declined to speak to this publication, indicating that she was not authorised to speak to the Press.

The Minister of Health and Child Care Dr David Parirenyatwa could not be reached for comment.

Two weeks ago, the board submitted the results of the forensic investigation, together with recommendations, to the Minister.

Bulawayo residents have said Dr Parirenyatwa should make the findings public to promote transparency and encourage donors to continue pouring money into the hospital.

Mpilo Central Hospital was the only public hospital that offered cancer therapy in the country’s southern region.

Mpofu was awarded the tender in 2012 and the unit was supposed to start operating in September 2013.

He has blamed the hospital for missed deadlines saying the institution only finished civil works on which his company was supposed to start building, in 2014, way after the first deadline.

Mpofu has since sued Moyo for $1 million, claiming she defamed him by falsely accusing him of threatening her.

He alleges Moyo made frantic efforts to contact him when he was in South Africa trying to stop the initial story about her accusations from being published.

Meanwhile, scores of cancer victims have reportedly succumbed to the disease as they cannot access treatment which is now only available in Harare