Eastern Cape taxpayers paid more than R1.3-million each month for close to 200 health department “ghost employees”.
The fraud was uncovered when the department conducted a physical head count verification of all employees on its payroll.
This was revealed by health MEC Dr Phumza Dyantyi during a health portfolio committee meeting at the Bhisho legislature earlier this week.
Dyantyi said that fraud and corruption was a critical concern in her department, further stating that it undermined the work of the provincial government.
During verification, 196 employees could not be accounted for despite them drawing salaries each month. “During the 2013-14 financial year we undertook this exercise, resulting in 196 alleged employees having their salaries frozen due to their failure to show up for verification.
“I am pleased to report to this committee that through our fraud prevention strategy and other mechanisms we have in place, the department is beginning to make inroads in managing this challenge of corruption.”
Through the exercise, the department has saved R1.3-million a month, she said.
However, committee chair and ANC MPL Mxolisi Dimaza was not impressed.
He said the department needed to address the issue of “gaps” in their systems in order to eventually defeat the scourge of corruption. “Can the committee please be told where are the gaps in your system which allow such things to happen?
“It is clear there are certain gaps in your human resources system that are allowing the escalation of such corrupt practices.
“Every year we are told by the department of various investigations and audits done, including head count of employees, but you see these things continue to happen year in year out,” said Dimaza.
The department also revealed that, in the financial year in question, they dealt with 17 disciplinary cases involving employees who had allegedly stolen medication, food, a doctor’s laptop and money from a hospital safe.
According to the annual report discussed during Tuesday’s meeting, the department viewed the war on corrupt activities as gaining momentum and intensifying.
“The department has worked closely with forensic service providers and have been assisted by the National Treasury, Special Investigative Unit, NPA, SARS and the Hawks,” states the annual report.
“The focus of this team was to identify weaknesses within our current systems, particularly in supply chain management.” — asandan@dispatch.co.za
Healthy ghosts scoff R1.3m of public purse
The fraud was uncovered when the department conducted a physical head count verification of all employees on its payroll.
This was revealed by health MEC Dr Phumza Dyantyi during a health portfolio committee meeting at the Bhisho legislature earlier this week.
Dyantyi said that fraud and corruption was a critical concern in her department, further stating that it undermined the work of the provincial government.
During verification, 196 employees could not be accounted for despite them drawing salaries each month. “During the 2013-14 financial year we undertook this exercise, resulting in 196 alleged employees having their salaries frozen due to their failure to show up for verification.
“I am pleased to report to this committee that through our fraud prevention strategy and other mechanisms we have in place, the department is beginning to make inroads in managing this challenge of corruption.”
Through the exercise, the department has saved R1.3-million a month, she said.
However, committee chair and ANC MPL Mxolisi Dimaza was not impressed.
He said the department needed to address the issue of “gaps” in their systems in order to eventually defeat the scourge of corruption. “Can the committee please be told where are the gaps in your system which allow such things to happen?
“It is clear there are certain gaps in your human resources system that are allowing the escalation of such corrupt practices.
“Every year we are told by the department of various investigations and audits done, including head count of employees, but you see these things continue to happen year in year out,” said Dimaza.
The department also revealed that, in the financial year in question, they dealt with 17 disciplinary cases involving employees who had allegedly stolen medication, food, a doctor’s laptop and money from a hospital safe.
According to the annual report discussed during Tuesday’s meeting, the department viewed the war on corrupt activities as gaining momentum and intensifying.
“The department has worked closely with forensic service providers and have been assisted by the National Treasury, Special Investigative Unit, NPA, SARS and the Hawks,” states the annual report.
“The focus of this team was to identify weaknesses within our current systems, particularly in supply chain management.” — asandan@dispatch.co.za
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