North West premier Supra Mahumapelo allegedly authorised a trip for senior health officials from his province to India – paid for by a Gupta-linked company.
Provincial health department head Thabo Lekalakala on Friday revealed in a joint standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) and health portfolio committee meeting that Mahumapelo authorised a trip to India for him and other officials, City Press reported.
The trip was reportedly organised for them to see the Gupta-linked company Mediosa's high-tech mobile clinic service.
After the revelation was made, committee members reportedly opened a case with the Hawks.
City Press says it has a recording of the meeting where it was found that while the department was still supposed to be considering whether to engage Mediosa's services, its senior officials left for India.
The trip reportedly took place five days after Mediosa submitted its first invoice of R30 million – without having done any work.
The department told City Press its contract with Mediosa started in February last year – before the trip to India the following month – and was supposed to have informed its decision whether to hire them. But by then, Mediosa had reportedly already sent its first bill.
According to the report, the department lied earlier this month when it said it had set R50-million aside for its three-year contract with Mediosa. But Lekalakala reportedly admitted to MPLs that R180-million had been set aside for the project.
Mahumapelo last year was shown to have been mentioned in a series of notorious email leaks from the Gupta business empire -- colloquially known as the 'Gupta leaks'. He admitted to visiting the family at their home in Saxonwold, but maintained there was nothing illegal in doing so.