MBABANE: Zinhle Matsebula, the Director of Cerium Scientific allegedly ordered her Management to meet Scendile Dlamini, the Chief Procurement Officer in the Ministry of Health with an alleged intention of using corrupt means to secure a multimillion drugs supply tender from government.
This is contained in emails obtained by this Swaziland News investigation unit amid an investigation into the health crisis, part of the emails were cited in an investigative investigative article released by this publication on Thursday.
Hundreds of emaSwati have died since the health crisis erupted resulting to shortage of drugs and other working equipment, with suppliers defrauding government.
“I would like to inform you about the discussion we had during my meeting with Make Sincedile as we discussed the development of the Procurement plan along with the supply chain, items discussed for what the procurement plan will need include: threshold of buying. Budget.List of items to be procured. Requisition until contract procedure”, reads the email from the Cerium Scientific and/or Lifespan Administrator’s Office addressed to Director Zinhle Matsebula.
As a result of the alleged collusion and subsequent to the meeting between businesswoman Zinhle Matsebula’s company and the Chief Procurement Officer, Matsebula through her alternative company, Cerium Scientific, managed to win the largest ever multimillion tender to supply drugs in hospitals, this is contained in Tender No 14 for the 2023/2024 financial year, signed on the 02 August 2023 by the then Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr Simon Zwane.
Cerium Scientific has replaced the recently removed supplier, Swazi Pharm Wholesalers(Pty) Ltd as Government largest supplier of drugs.
Responding to this Swaziland News, businesswoman Zinhle Matsebula denied being involved in any irregularities in the tendering process within the Ministry of Health but confirmed that, she knew the Chief Procurement Officer at professional level.
“I am a Pharmacist by profession and met and became acquainted with Ms Sincedile Dlamini whilst I was employed at the Eswatini Government (Central Medical Stores).The relationship is collegial and nothing more.I refute in the strongest terms the insinuation that I am involved in malfeasance in the tender processes.I hold several Degrees from reputable Universities which gives me adequate capacity to excel in what I’m doing.If you know exactly what goes into preparation of medical supplies tender, you will have an idea that there is no way an industry expert can be assisted by a Procurement Specialist,” said the businesswoman when responding to this publication on the subject matter.
The Cerium Scientific Director alleged that, her company was receiving government tenders for the first time without disclosing that, she was actually dealing with the Ministry of Health with her separate or alternative company Lifespan Pharmacist.
Matsebula is among the government suppliers including SwaziPharm who secured tenders through alleged corrupt means and subsequently looted government millions of Rands, resulting to the health crisis
One of the emails where Zinhle Matsebula’s company facilitated tenders.