Question NW2816 to the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
10 November 2023 - NW2816
Masipa, Mr NP to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
Noting that based on the Auditor-General of South Africa 2019/2020 Annual Report, the Onderstepoort Biological Products Board requested that all tenders awarded in the preceding five financial years, including Good Manufacturing Practice, be investigated, what (a) is the status of the investigation into the specified companies and (b) are the full, relevant details pertaining to all the investigations that were done from 1 January 2019 to date?
Reply:
a) Onderstepoort Biological Products (SOC) Ltd met with the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to submit information relating to the GMP construction facility contracts during 2022. After the initial meeting, OBP forwarded to the SIU information at its disposal. Interviews were conducted with senior OBP officials who were employed at OBP at the time of the procurement. No feedback has been received from the SIU since then.
b) Full details on the matter are as outlined above and there has been no development since that exchange of information.