Two companies linked to Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s sons were paid R46.7 million in the last three years for fire detection and suppression in Gauteng hospitals. They are claiming an additional R44 million despite not a single hospital being fully compliant with the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
This is revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko in a written reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.
According to the reply, Modipadi Nokaneng and the Ngwato and Manzi Group (NMG) were paid R28.8 million and R17.9 million respectively from 2022/23 to 2024/25 for “services rendered by the service provider”.
These two companies have been linked to Mashatile’s sons Thabiso Mashatile and Tinyiko Mvelase.
Previously, it was reported they were awarded a R49 million contract to service fire alarms and sprinkler systems at Gauteng public hospitals and had been paid R36.4 million.
It is suspicious that so much money has been paid to these companies, who are still claiming millions more. Although they are separate entities, the companies apparently share staff, resources, and office space. The Department says they “continue to render services to different entities”.
The DA will continue to probe why these companies have been paid so much and are claiming millions more even though hospital fire prevention needs drastic improvement. We need to know why the original R49 million contract has apparently been extended.
I will also ask questions about fire prevention measures at the Tembisa Hospital, which suffered two fires earlier this year.
A DA-run administration would award contracts to the most cost-effective companies that do the job they are paid for. This is especially important in critical areas like fire safety where lives are at stake.