Presidency Spokesperson Khusela Diko and her husband AmaBhaca Chief Thandisizwe Diko have threatened to take the Sunday Independent newspaper to court after it published an article which the Dikos claim to be false.
According to an article titled “Diko’s R80m PPE payment” , the Gauteng Department of Health paid R80 million to Royal Bhaca Projects – a company owned by Diko’s husband – for personal protective equipment (PPE) services through a front company called Ledla Structural Development.
The Dikos claim that the allegations are false and aim to tarnish their reputation.
In a letter drafted by their attorneys, the Dikos demand that the article be withdrawn within 24 hours and a public apology issued.
But the newspaper seems defiant. The author of the article Piet Rampedi took to Twitter to express the organisation’s stance.
We stand by our story. We have no intention to retract and apologise. Mr Thandisizwe Diko and Mrs @KhuselaS are free to proceed with any legal action, if they so wish. And we are ready to prove our case. pic.twitter.com/QzpzSlOgbR
— Mr Putin (@pietrampedi) August 2, 2020
Last week, Khusela Diko took a leave of absence after allegations surfaced claiming that her husband’s company received a R125 million PPE tender through a friendship with Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku. Masuku and his wife Loyiso – MMC in the City of Johannesburg – have also taken a leave of absence while the matter is being probed by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU).
Below, the Chief of AmaBhaca discusses ANC decision on his wife and MEC Masuku:
