JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Greater than 60% of contracts to assist the South African authorities fight the COVID-19 pandemic have been irregular, an official report launched Tuesday has revealed.
The nation’s Particular Investigating Unit probed greater than 4,500 contracts for the acquisition of medical gear and companies price about $914 million and located that greater than 2,800 of them are suspected to have been corrupt. Further contracts are nonetheless underneath investigation.
Releasing the report, President Cyril Ramaphosa lamented the extent of corruption throughout a pandemic.
“It's unacceptable that so many contracts related to saving lives and defending livelihoods had been irregular, illegal or fraudulent,“ stated Ramaphosa. “This investigation demonstrates our willpower to root out corruption and to take care of perpetrators.”
He stated that 386 instances have been referred for legal prosecution and greater than Rand 550 million (about $35 million) price of money and property have been recovered on account of the investigations.
South Africa has seen the very best variety of COVID-19 infections and deaths in Africa, with greater than 3.5 million instances and 94,265 deaths.