A recent Carte Blanche investigation has uncovered severe irregularities at the Kimberley Mental Health Hospital in the Northern Cape. Whistleblowers and inside sources revealed evidence of gross financial mismanagement, including inflated prices paid for essential equipment and a lack of basic supplies for patients.
Astronomical Markups Exposed: Golf Cart, Quad Bike Outrage
One of the most shocking revelations was the exorbitant price paid for a six-seater golf cart used to transport patients from the hospital gate to the entrance. The Department of Health paid approximately R500 000 when the same vehicle could have been purchased directly from the supplier for about half that price. This represents a markup of 113.32%.
In another shocking example, a quad bike was bought for the hospital at R140 000. This is a staggering 272.91% markup, considering its retail value is less than a third of that price at R37 500.
Patients Lack Basic Necessities
The investigation also revealed that despite substantial operational budgets, patients are enduring substandard conditions. Evidence suggests that a large order of essential linen for patients was either never delivered or the funds were misappropriated. Shockingly, a set of pyjamas or sheets and blankets for a single patient could have cost as much as R5000 based on invoices seen by Carte Blanche.
CEO and Health Officials Respond
When confronted with the evidence, the CEO of the hospital, Albert Lynx, admitted the issues exist but claimed his authority is limited in terms of procurement. He shifts the responsibility onto the provincial health department.
The acting Head of the Health Department, while acknowledging the challenges, primarily blamed external factors rather than internal mismanagement. He promised that an investigation was underway and that there would be consequences if wrongdoing was uncovered.
I’m not surprised, because even a blind person can see the corruption happening there from a far. I mean there’s very little happening there for a place that took more than a decade to be built. Kimberley should be fronting and showing pride of that hospital but it’s like it doesn’t exist.
I want to request the same to be done with Kimberley Hospital ( now named Robert Sobukwe). Even a pig sty is better, that hospital makes patients more sick because of its filthy state.
The ANC really needs to take a back seat, they crippled our country. They all deserve to be held responsible for continuously letting such corruption carry on.