The Sunday News
Sunday News Reporters
THE Minister of Health and Child Care was last week presented with the forensic audit report for Mpilo Central Hospital following a seven-day investigation at the institution where a scandal involving the cancellation of a $3 million tender was recently exposed, Sunday News can reveal.
Dr Lawrence Mantiziba, the chief executive officer for the hospital, was also accused of cancelling a valid contract by Manifest Security.
Mpilo board chairperson Mrs Sichelesile Moyo-Ncube on Thursday confirmed to Sunday News that the forensic audit report was completed and submitted to Dr David Parirenyatwa.
“I can confirm that the report was presented to the minister and we are just waiting to hear what his response will be. I, however, cannot say what the audit contains but we have put recommendations and we will wait and get the response from him soon,” she said.
A local businessman, Mr Ashton Mpofu’s company — New Planet — was awarded a $3 million tender to do work on the cancer centre but it was later cancelled.
Mrs Duduza Regina Moyo, the hospitals operations director, then claimed that the businessman wanted to kill her following the cancellation of the tender.
She then wrote to Dr Mantiziba on 12 February to ask for a security guard because she felt “unsafe”.
In the letter marked “Request for Personal Security” the operations director wrote: “Following the executive decision to terminate the contract with New Planet today, I request the services of a guard as I feel unsafe following threats from the company.” Mr Mpofu was awarded the tender to refurbish Mpilo Central Hospital’s radiotherapy centre towards the end of 2012.
He also alleged that the operations director solicited a $35 000 bribe before the smooth sailing of the tender process, an allegation that she denies.
The scope of the tender ranged from providing new equipment, to re-tiling the floors and painting the walls.
The cancer unit was closed for the duration of the project, forcing cancer patients to travel to Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare for treatment.
The project was supposed to be completed in September 2013 but no significant progress has been recorded so far with Minister Parirenyatwa raising concern over the slow pace of the cancer centre which is expected to service patients from the Matabeleland and Midlands regions.
