The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has called on the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate the Department of Health’s 2025 tender process for antiretroviral (ARV) drugs.
The demand follows revelations that two of the seven pharmaceutical companies awarded contracts entered business rescue in December — the same month they were expected to begin supplying the life-saving medication.
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EFF Member of Parliament Naledi Chirwa raised concerns about the integrity of the procurement process, questioning how financially distressed companies were selected to fulfil critical public health contracts.
EFF Demands SIU Probe into ARV Tender Procurement Process
The party says it has little confidence in the 2025 procurement process and believes serious questions remain unanswered.
Chirwa argued that officials must account for what she described as a failure to conduct proper due diligence before awarding the contracts.
“There has to be much more that the department is answerable to the committee in relation to how this process unfolded. It can’t just be that this is it.”
The EFF maintains that the matter warrants independent scrutiny by the SIU to determine whether procurement rules were followed and whether any irregularities occurred.
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi Responds to Tender Concerns
Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi welcomed the call for an investigation made by Chirwa. While distancing himself from procurement decisions, he said he would support efforts to clear his name of any alleged wrongdoing.
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Motsoaledi acknowledged that the department’s reputation had suffered in the wake of the Digital Vibes controversy linked to former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize.
He told Parliament’s portfolio committee that he does not participate in the department’s procurement processes and rejected suggestions of corruption.
“I can confirm there are no brown envelopes, as far as I’m concerned. I can tell you with no equivocation that if that happens, it won’t be pointing to me.”
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The Department of Health’s chief procurement director, Khadija Jamaloodien, addressed concerns raised over the two companies that entered business rescue.
She stated that both companies have since exited business rescue and stressed that the department has not been found wanting by the Auditor-General in relation to pharmaceutical procurement.
The unfolding developments place renewed focus on public sector procurement processes, particularly when they involve essential medicines such as ARVs, which remain central to South Africa’s HIV treatment programme.
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