Johannesburg - The Inkatha Freedom Party has welcomed plans by Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to cut down the number of tenders in his department.
"The IFP is pleased that the minister has finally seen that tenders are nothing but a problem to public health and to people who are relying on public health services," IFP health spokeswoman Hilda Msweli said on Tuesday.
She said the decision would make a difference, as the department would start to do things in-house.
"It will save a lot of money and workers will be pleased to work under the department instead of working under a certain individual," Msweli said.
The Sowetan newspaper quoted Motsoaledi on Tuesday as saying tenders were destroying the public health system.
"The replacement of the health care system with a tender-care system has destroyed our public health system in this country, and it needs to be reversed," Motsoaledi said.
Msweli said having the department as the sole responsible figure would help its accountability.
"It will... be good for the public to know who is to blame when things go wrong, instead of having people pointing fingers at each other," she said.