More military misbehaviour

[Exxaro]( [Mail & Guardian Newsletter logo](#) [mg.co.za]( [The Ampersand Daily Newsletter from the M&G team](#) [Divider Strip] October 22 2020 | [View in browser]( [Divider Strip] [Facebook icon]( [Twitter icon]( [Instagram icon]( [LinkedIn icon]( Hi there, "Mabena, please disappoint me again." It was that entreaty by a disgruntled army officer watching an inept recruit that [launched a plethora of memes](. Unfortunately, it appears there are more Mabenas in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). Mabenas with keys to the coffers. This afternoon, we have a story that brings new meaning to fruitless and wasteful expenditure. The SANDF has spent more than R200-million on medication it is unable to use. After shooting itself in the proverbial foot, it allegedly tried to cover up the fumble and keep it away from the president's eyes. Sabelo Skiti reports that a senior official in the South African Military Health Service (SAMHS) has blown the whistle on the military's [procurement of a Covid-19 treatment from Cuba](. There's just one small problem: the drug in question, Interferon Alpha-2B, has been banned by the health department to treat symptoms of the virus. If that name sounds familiar, you may remember Ekurhuleni mayor [Mzwandile Masina announced in March]( he would be using the city's emergency funds to procure a coronavirus vaccine. This was the drug in question. It isn't completely useless. The medication, manufactured by joint Cuban-Chinese company ChangHeber, is registered in South Africa for the treatment of skin cancer. But health experts tell us there's no evidence to support that Interferon has any positive results in treating Covid-19. The SANDF thus has a stockpile of expensive, unusable and potentially useless medication. So far R35-million has been paid for 130 000 doses with a further R182-million due for a consignment that has already been delivered. The SANDF is finger-crossing that permission is granted to use the treatment -- but again the efficacy remains unproven. According to a confidential internal report by Major-General Lesley Ford, the chief director for military health service support, the drugs have been stored inside the SAHMS base depot. They cannot be used because the defence force did not make the necessary applications before procuring the drug. The procurement was not captured on the SAHMS inventory, he said, and was done without following due process. "It is not clear who created the demand for the Interferon and it is understood that said requirement was not initiated by the SAMHS. This would make sense as the drug is not SAHPRA [South African Health Products Regulatory Authority] approved for use within RSA ..." Ford said. The defence force is collapsing from a lack of budget and here it is spending millions on a drug it can't use. It has not exactly been a [fine representation of military might]( in recent times, and this act of unmitigated buffoonery is just another example. Perhaps this projection of cluelessness works in their favour. In appearing to just be human error, we can then rest easy in the belief that this was a one-time act of stupidity and not a pattern of gross misconduct. If you want to see how acting surprised is helpful and can work as a defence, watch the proceedings at the Zondo commission of inquiry. Everyone is innocent in ignorance. Until tomorrow Kiri Rupiah & Luke Feltham [Divider Strip] [Breast Cancer]( [Divider Strip] [MG public servants]( [Divider Strip] [Facebook icon]( [Twitter icon]( [Instagram icon]( [LinkedIn icon]( You are receiving this email on {EMAIL} because 1.) You're a member of "Mail & Guardian" or 2.) previously subscribed [M&G logo] 25 Owl St, Braamfontein Werf, Johannesburg, 2092 Want to be removed? No problem! [UNSUBSCRIBE]( Email support: help@media-connect.co.za - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -