Question NW2007 to the Minister of Health

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09 June 2022 - NW2007

Profile picture: Hlengwa, Ms MD

Hlengwa, Ms MD to ask the Minister of Health

Whether, with reference to his speech delivered on 10 May 2022 during his department’s Budget Vote for the 2022-23 financial year, wherein he stated that his department aims to reduce the liability of medico-legal claims by 80% by 2024 and that some firms have been referred to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), he will furnish Ms M D Hlengwa with a (a) list of the firms referred to the SIU and (b) detailed update on the status of the investigation against the specified legal firms by the SIU; if not, why not, in each case; if so, what are the relevant details in each case?

Reply:

(a) The Service Provider named Integrated Forensic Accounting Services (“IFAS”) has been assigned the investigation of the top law firms that are litigating against the State (for the respective Provinces) on medico-legal matters. The specific Law Firms are Wim Krynauw Attorneys, Joe Hubbart Attorneys and Van Zyl Johnson Inc.

Additional two (2) Law Firms, i.e. Dudula Inc, and Elliot Maris Wilmans & Hay were allocated at the request of the Northern Cape Province bringing the total number of law firms investigated to five (5).

The specified law firms have not yet been referred to the SIU.

(b) The investigation against the specified legal firms by the SIU has not yet started as the reports by the Service Provider on such law firms have not yet been referred to the SIU. The reason is that the Department is still awaiting the National Proclamation to be signed by the President of the Republic. As soon as the National Proclamation is signed by the President, the Forensic Reports from the Service Provider will be provided to the SIU to form the basis of their (SIU) investigations.

END.

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