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Thandeka Moyo, Chronicle Reporter
TWO suspended Mpilo Central Hospital directors face disciplinary hearings today.

The hospital’s operations director Duduza Regina Moyo and finance director Charles Govo were suspended last year without pay after an audit uncovered irregularities that allegedly prejudiced the hospital of millions of dollars.

The two were suspended together with Central Buying Unit chairman Mxolisi Sibanda and CEO Lawrence Mantiziba, who has since left the hospital after his contract expired.

Sources told The Chronicle that Moyo and Govo’s disciplinary hearings will start today.

“This is the beginning of bringing to finality the pending issues which have disrupted operations at what is a major hospital. Moyo and Govo will appear before the disciplinary panel seperately,” a hospital source said.

The Health Services Board (HSB) in April last year suspended Mantiziba together with Moyo and Govo.

Moyo is facing 11 counts of misconduct and abuse of office, Sibanda is facing five, Govo has one count.

According to a preliminary audit report by a local accounting firm, PNA, the hospital failed to put in place checks and balances in the awarding of tenders.

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

After scrutinizing 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 that she tampered with files to withhold evidence from the investigating team.

Moyo allegedly undermined government policies and regulations on procurement.

She is also guilty, the audit said, 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 says 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.

Meanwhile, the Mpilo board operations sub-committee headed by Siqokoqela Mphoko has moved to stop the institution from paying CMED $7,000 monthly for hiring a Mercedes Benz for the acting chief executive officer, Leonard Mabhandi.

Mpilo has acquired a Jeep Cherokee for the CEO which has been delivered to the Health Services Board in Harare, but the car is yet to be released to the hospital after HSB and Health Ministry officials said it could not be utilised by an acting CEO.