Hon Speaker, the Limpopo department of health has blatantly undermined not only Treasury regulations, but also the Public Finance and Management Act by awarding a R200 million medical waste tender to a politically connected consortium, whose details they refuse to divulge. This is despite a court order instructing them to inform the losing bidders on who exactly won the bid. Not only has the department snubbed the courts, but it has also allowed political interference, nepotism and disregard for the supply chain management rules to be the order of the day in awarding the tender. If this process was above board, there would be no court challenge and the veil of secrecy imposed around this process would not exist.
Tenders cannot be awarded based on who you are friends with in local government, while hoping no one will notice that money was illegitimately spent. The idea of "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" is criminal behaviour. Those facilitating and benefitting from such practices should be treated as criminals. [Time expired.] [Applause.]