PRETORIA – Defence Minister Thandi Modise says her department will determine whether an official who signed off on the illegal procurement of the COVID-19 Interferon drug from Cuba, was coerced.
She’s lauded the department’s chief financial officer for refusing to pay for the import of the drug in early 2020.
The officer also highlighted further illegalities that saw another official sign off on the payment of R33 million for the first of three consignments of the drug.
Modise appeared before Parliament yesterday explaining how her department intends to implement the recommendations of a ministerial task team that conducted the probe.
She says stronger procurement structures are needed in her department to prevent a repeat occurrence.
