SIU saves Health Dept billions from fraudulent claims

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) says it has prevented the Department of Health from paying R3 billion in fraudulent medico-legal claims.

The SIU was briefing Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts on medico-legal claims and their impact on the finances of the Health Department.

The SIU says it uncovered irregularities, fraud and corruption in its investigations totaling billions of rands.

It says despite payment made to a legal practitioner who was representing a claimant, his living conditions are still dire.

In addition, there were no ramps in some of the claimants’ homes where the courts have ordered that they must be built.

“Despite all those monies being paid out to the attorneys but the living conditions of the plaintiffs and their children remain appalling, and poverty stricken as most of them are unemployed and depend on SASSA grants. This is really the worrying part of all of this that the vulnerable sector of our communities is taken advantage of and they are still left in appalling conditions,” says SIU Head Adv Andy Mothibi.

Mothibi says in some cases, there’s collusion between nurses, attorneys and doctors both in the private and public health sectors. Members of Parliament are calling for an overhaul of the system to process these claims.

“It’s a scam…and something needs to be done drastically,” says EFF MP Mazwikayise Blose.

“There’s a total failure of systems within the Department of Health. This report is very scary,” says ANC MP Gijimani Skosana.

The SIU says it discovered that some of the claims are made without the knowledge of patients and guardians were tricked into signing the power of attorney to sue while they were told that they were signing for SASSA grants.

“If I was a dictator just one day to be a president just one day just 24 hours, those people would be history,” says MK Party MP Mandla Skosana.

“South African taxpayers are being blatantly robbed of monies that could have been beneficial to their education, health upliftment and quality of life,” says DA MP Farhat Essack.

The SIU says its investigations are ongoing and cover all provinces.