The South African National Civic Organization (Sanco) in Gauteng has called for an investigation into the awarding of tenders by the Gauteng Department of health.
Last week, a Sunday paper reported that Presidential Spokesperson Khusela Diko’s husband was awarded a contract worth R125 million to supply Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the department for the COVID-19 pandemic.
The allegations were refuted by both Diko and her husband, King Madzikane II Thandisizwe Diko.
Diko, who is also an ANC Gauteng Executive Committee member, denies that she used her political influence to help her husband. This is after concerns were raised that this could create a potential conflict of interest.
King Madzikane says his contracts with the department were cancelled and he never received any form of payment.
Sanco’s Chris Malematja wants the tender investigated:
Earlier, some political parties also called for the matter to be investigated while the EFF said she should be removed immediately.
Meanwhile, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) says it is investigating 90 companies possibly involved in Gauteng Health Department procurement irregularities.
Sanco Gauteng Chairperson Chris Malemetja called on Health MEC Dr. Bandile Masuku to be transparent about tender procurement processes in his department.
“The matter here is the husband, through that particular company, has to benefit and the manner he has benefitted is wrong. We are tackling corruption, not necessarily tackling the individual. The friendship between the two has nothing to do with the department. I don’t think the wife has much influence on the department. It is Bandile, who must tell us what really transpires in the department. We call on the premier to come full force and do investigations.”
SIU to investigate COVID-19 related procurements
SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago says the unit is already investigating COVID-19 related procurements.
“We received the allegation of PPE procurement in the Department of Health in Gauteng a few weeks ago. In that process, we signed a secondment agreement and we are investigating the matter. So far, we found that there are 90 companies involved. We are looking at all the companies, one by one, to make sure that all the processes that were followed are correct. Now that we have got this proclamation by the president, we are taking this matter out of the secondment and investigating under this proclamation.”
On Thursday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the government would start cracking the whip on all those who got caught with their hands in the cookie jar.
“We have established a collaborative and coordinated centre to strengthen the collective efforts amongst law enforcement agencies so as to prevent, detect, investigate and prosecute COVID-19 related corruption.”
The Gauteng government is expected to address the allegations next week.
In the video below, Corruption Watch Researcher Melusi Ncala discusses the COVID-19 corruption report:
