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Thandeka Moyo Chronicle Reporter
MINISTER of Health and Child Care, Dr David Parirenyatwa yesterday said that heads will roll at Mpilo Central Hospital following an audit that unearthed a number of corrupt activities that include flouting of tender procedures.

Addressing journalists after a lengthy closed door meeting with the Mpilo Central Hospital board members, Dr Parirenyatwa said he would take stern measures against the hospital management who were found wanting after analysing the board’s audit report.

Dr Parirenyatwa said recommendations from board members had helped him come up with an appropriate but tough decision on some members of the management.

He said he would give the finer details of his decision by Thursday when he makes an official announcement.

“I’ve come here because of the various things that have been alleged to have happened, terrible things, and I’m looking at the good name of this hospital. I’m looking at the welfare of the people of Matabeleland and the welfare of the people of Zimbabwe,” he said.

“I think we need to address the issues, the allegations that have been levelled particularly against management. As the Ministry of Health and Child Care and as minister I have taken it upon myself to ensure that whatever is happening we address it vigorously and we are going to take tough actions because they are necessary as this hospital must improve.”

Dr Parirenyatwa said all those causing problems deserved to be dealt with accordingly.

“The board of this hospital has made an audit through a reputable audit company and came up with recommendations which have helped me to make up my mind on what direction to follow.

“We are going to follow it procedurally so that we don’t come back here after losing out cases because we have not done it thoroughly. So that is why I’m saying we will be taking very stern measures and I can tell you that this will happen before the end of next week,” he said.

The Chronicle obtained a copy of the board’s report to Dr Parirenyatwa.

The report recommends that the chief executive officer, Dr Lawrence Mantiziba, operations director Duduza Regina Moyo and finance director Charles Govo, be dismissed.

According to the report by local accounting firm PNA- a copy of which is in Chronicle’s possession, Dr Mantiziba failed to put in place a system of checks and balances in the awarding of tenders.

This left the system open to abuse and led to the hospital being prejudiced of millions of dollars.

The auditors recommended that he be charged with gross negligence.

After scrutinising 838 tenders worth about $4,6 million awarded between January 2012 and December 31, 2014, the investigating team found that 444 with a value of about $2,8 million flouted provisions of the Procurement Act.

Moyo allegedly manipulated the Procurement and Tender Committee (PTC) to determine the outcome of tenders.

The report shows she tampered with files to withhold evidence from the investigating team.

Moyo allegedly undermined government policies and regulations of the State Procurement Board.

She is also guilty of: “drafting letters on behalf of suppliers claiming money from the hospital and deliberately awarding multiple tenders to individuals with more than one company supplying the hospital.”

The auditor recommended that Moyo be reported to the police for fraud.

The report shows Govo was grossly negligent as he would pay money to suppliers without tax clearances.

For authorising payments to companies without withholding tax, the auditors suggested that he be reported to the police for tax fraud.

Part of the board’s recommendation reads; “The Hospital Management Board believes that this preliminary investigation is a solid indicator of serious acts of misconduct at the hospital on the part of the chief executive officer, the director of operations and the finance director, as such, swift action has to be taken for order, transparency and accountability to be restored at the hospital. The board further request that the findings of the investigation team be made public as the matter is already in the public domain.”

The Procurement Act that guides public institutions stipulates that for goods and services that cost up to $10,000, an institution should obtain a minimum of three “competitive” quotes from prospective suppliers.

Tenders above $10,000 should be advertised in the Government Gazette and a national newspaper that circulates in the public institution’s area of jurisdiction.

The auditors found that in the radiotherapy centre tender, hospital officials deliberately broke contracts into small denominations worth less than $10,000 to avoid advertising.

The $3 million tender, which had been awarded to Bulawayo businessman Ashton Mpofu’s New Planet Company, led to the investigation after Moyo alleged Mpofu threatened to harm her, following its cancellation.

The auditors said if the contract had been given to one company, it would have cost approximately $1,049 million.

After being split up, it ended up costing more than $2 million.

“This could have been avoided had the operations director and her team performed due diligence checks on suppliers to ensure they have the necessary capacity to supply goods and services,” read the report.

“There are indications that the operations director is colluding with suppliers as some information on tenders seems to be availed to certain suppliers only.”

The auditors said the hospital’s PTC was clueless about their duties and let Moyo have her way.

They recommended that the committee be disbanded with immediate effect.