By OBAKENG MAJE

The controversial businessman and owner of Moso-Kago Equipment company, James Gadinabokao is enmeshed in a top-level bribery scandal. The flamboyant Gadinabokao allegedly tried to bribe the Director of Supply Chain Management (SCM) from North West Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation (ACSR), Tumelo Maphakathi to sway the whopping R42 million tender of the Mahika Mahikeng Cultural Festival project to his advantage.

A voicenote that allegedly depicts the voices of Gatvol Movement president, Gadinabokao and Maphakathi was played during a meeting between the department and North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL) Portfolio Committee on Sport and Education last week, where Gadinabokao allegedly promised Maphakathi a ‘personal and private’ outing outside Mahikeng, where he will allegedly buy her wine and makes her ‘horny’.  

The department briefly appeared before the committee to answer the challenges regarding the delays over the Mahika Mahikeng Cultural Festival and Taung Cultural Calabash events respectively.

Now, the Head of Department, Itumeleng Mogorotsi said, the department is seeking a legal opinion from the Office of the Premier on whether to pursue a criminal case against the Taung tycoon or not.  

“There is a recording that came to the attention of the departmental executive and these are the same people accusing government officials of being corrupt. However, they are doing some of these things. We have received a backlash, insults, and reputational harm words from the public accusing us of being corrupt.

“So, it is my responsibility as the accounting officer resonates around the provisions of Section 217 of the Constitution reads with Section 38 of the PFMA on the establishment of the Supply Chain Management System, which is fair, equitable, transparent, competitive, and cost-effective is concerned,” Mogorotsi said.

He further said, he is also obligated in terms of Section 38 (1)(c) IV 2 of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) to take effective steps to prevent unauthorised, irregular, fruitless, and wasteful expenditure including the losses that may result from the criminal conduct.

Mogorotsi added that, he is also obligated to take reasonable steps as the result of abuse of the SCM, and investigate allegations against an official or a role player of corruption and improper conduct or failure to comply with the SCM system, when justified to do so.

“I should take steps against such an official and inform the relevant Treasury and report any conduct that may constitute an offense to the SAPS. Having considered all the information at my disposal, the evaluation and bid adjudication report including internal correspondence, applicable legislative framework, and getting a legal opinion from the Office of the Premier, the MEC will brief the Premier on the matter given the public interest.

“We have requested the Office of the Premier, the Misconduct and Forensic unit to conduct an investigation. Initially, this investigation was going to be done internally, but I have overwritten that decision because of lack of capacity,” he said.

Mogorotsi also said they are concerned about the leakage of information about the Mahika Mahikeng Cultural Festival event that took place even before the tender could be awarded to the winner. He said that had potential misconduct and criminality as far as the legislation is concerned.

“So, I decided to cancel this bid worth R42 million for three years and the process will start from scratch. Now, the Mahika Mahikeng Cultural Festival event will be held on 9-11 March 2023.

*Meanwhile, Gadinabokao failed to respond to our WhatsApp messages before publishing this article.

By OBAKENG MAJE

Four nurses who were suspended for medical negligence at Taung District Hospital are back at work. In March 2021, these nurses, who were working at the maternity ward at the time, allegedly neglected a heavily pregnant woman, Kegomoditswe Tankie while giving birth.

Tankie allegedly ended up giving birth on the floor without any assistance from the nurses and the fiasco was captured on video and circulated across various social media platforms.  

The North West Department of Health spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane said the investigations on the matter are still underway. Lekgethwane further said these nurses were suspended at the time to allow smooth investigations of the matter. 

“Consequence management will apply if there was any transgression. However, consequence management is often not what the public perceives. Each case has its own merit and that needs to be taken into consideration.

“I can sit here with you and say somebody has pushed me that is why I broke my arm. However, one could have a different outcome depending on the investigation or witnesses. So, in this case, the investigations are not necessarily concluded,” he said.

Lekgethwane added that the department has an option of bringing those nurses back to work pending investigations and evaluation processes. He said, when it comes to patients in terms of a case of negligence, that will be another process altogether.

“We do have an internal process of investigating staff and a process of litigation, which is never started by the department. If any patient litigates, we wait for them, and then it becomes a legal process. So, until is completed, we really do not want to go into the merits of it because it will go to court until the finality of the case.

“The investigations are still ongoing and those nurses are back at work. Critically, when you suspend someone that does not mean they are necessarily guilty, but to give you time to do investigations without any hindrances,” said Lekgethwane.

Meanwhile, the North West Department of Health is allegedly faced with medical negligence cases to the potential cost of R704 million. The Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla told parliament in July 2022 that, in the 2020/21 financial year alone, the department recorded 61 cases of medical negligence claims with a potential cost of R325 million to the state.

Phaahla said in the 2021/21 financial year, the department also recorded 64 cases of civil claims with a potential cost of R379 million to the state. The top three leading hospitals with the most medical negligence claims in the 2021/22 financial year are Tshepong and Klerksdorp Complex Hospital in Klerksdorp, followed by Potchefstroom Hospital in Potchefstroom, while the Mahikeng Provincial Hospital occupies the third position.

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By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

The stock-theft case against the seven accused has been postponed to 15 November 2022. Willem Petrus Boshoff (46), Carel Stephan Wallis (47), Ntlhothana Motswabangwe (33), Rapula Letsapa (25), Johannes Wessel (49), Simon Wessel (47) and Janine Hill (50) were arrested in the early hours of the morning on 10 November 2022.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in North West, Henry Mamothame said, Boshoff, Wallis, Motswabangwe, Letsapa, Wessel, Hill, and Wessel briefly appeared before the Molopo Magistrate’s Court on 14 November 2022.

“The case was postponed to 15 November 2022 for a formal bail application. They are facing five preliminary charges of theft, failure to provide a satisfactory account of the possession of livestock, acquiring stock from persons whose places of residence are unknown, transporting livestock along the road without a certificate, and absence of reasonable cause believing that the livestock has been properly acquired.

“All seven accused will remain in police custody until the court has made a ruling on their bail application.  Their court appearance emanates from their arrest after they were found in possession of suspected stolen livestock, with an estimated value of R500 000,” Mamothame said.

He further said the farmer, notices a truck and bakkies with a trailer carrying livestock and notified other farmers around Ottoshoop.

“They tracked down the suspicious bakkie to a farm in Koenlambrechts farm between Mahikeng and Lichtenburg. Police were then notified, and the suspects were arrested while trying to leave the farm.

“Nine cattle were found at the back of the bakkie. A truck linked to the theft was also intercepted by the police carrying 18 cattle, which the driver failed to account for,” said Mamothame.

He said further investigations by the police led them to Windheuwel farm, where 14 suspected stolen livestock was discovered. Mamothame said they were taken by the police for further investigations.

“A total of 42 battles were discovered through a collaborative operation between farmers and the police,” he said.

Meanwhile, the North West Director of Public Prosecutions has lauded the farmers and the police for their collaboration leading to the arrest of the suspects.

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