Parly ad hoc committee hears details of how R360m SAPS tender was awarded to Matlala

Parliament’s ad hoc committee on corruption within the South African Police Service (SAPS) is on Thursday probing a R360 million healthcare tender awarded to controversial businessman, Vusimusi "Cat" Matlala. 

SAPS divisional commissioner, Molefe Fani, has been testifying how it came about that Matlala’s company, Medicare24 Tshwane, was earmarked from 22 bidders to provide healthcare services to the police.

Fani said this would have included screening new recruits, as well as tending to the health of current employees. 

He said that he never knew that the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) had contacted the National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola to flag concerns about the company as being linked to corruption at Tembisa Hospital. 

"In the report that was submitted to the bid adjudication committee, it would appear that the bid evaluation committee had applied their mind and made certain that all the relevant documentation and all the relevant requirements of the bid documents had been complied with, and in the report they are recommending that the suppliers be carried to the next phase of evaluation and all other suppliers that were disqualified in the report, it was clearly stipulated why they were disqualified."

Fani said no one on the bid adjudication committee raised a concern, either and Matlala’s company was awarded the three-year contract in June 2024.