Either the latest Gauteng Expenditure Disclosure report got its maths wrong by nearly R200m, or the Department of Infrastructure Development paid almost R190m over its budget for wooden floors for tents put up at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital to manage the Covid-19 emergency.
Corruption
Big questions loom over Gauteng’s billion-rand ICU field hospitals
The Gauteng government has spent hundreds of millions of rands on ‘barrack-style field hospitals’ in anticipation of a Covid-19 surge which has already passed, with most of these nowhere near close to completion. Doctors say these structures were also not fit for purpose and warned billions more could be wasted. This suggests the construction of 1,400 additional ICU beds, a signature project of the provincial health department may turn out to be the biggest misspending of emergency health funds that has yet bedevilled the pandemic response.
Street Talk: Corruption – Is It Up to Us? (Video)
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Corruption has created its own political economy
On the edges of Dieplsoot stands a half complete municipal building. Once intended as a library and offices, it has been surrendered to decay before it even came to life. A few years ago it seemed to symbolise a governmental intent to recognise and modernise Diepsloot. Now it’s just an unexplained shell. A free brick and building parts store.