Gauteng Premier David Makhura has welcomed the Special Tribunal’s correction to the judgment it made in December last year that implicated him in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) corruption.
In an affidavit to the Special Investigating Unit, the former Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Health, Kabelo Lehloenya, had alleged that Makhura had given names of the companies that had to be appointed to supply and deliver PPEs in the province.
The DA has called on Makhura to be axed and the African National Congress Youth League wants him to appear before the party’s provincial integrity commission.
Gauteng Premier David Makhura responds to allegations levelled against him:
But the Premier’s Spokesperson, Vuyo Mhaga, says the Special Tribunal has corrected the error.
“On 27 January 2021, Premier David Makhura made an application to the Special Tribunal in terms of Rule 42, to seek correction on paragraphs 14 and 24 of the Tribunal judgment to include the words ‘Office of’ before the word ‘Premier.’ Judge Mothle has since accepted the request by the Premier and has corrected the error. The Gauteng government is confident that the SIU will investigate all allegations made against the Office of the Premier, made by the former CFO.”
Allegations of corruption
Gauteng has been marred by a number of PPE corruption scandals with the latest being millions spent to disinfect and deep-clean schools in the province.
Gauteng Education says the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has started interviewing its officials after more than R430 million was spent on sanitising and deep-cleaning schools last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yesterday, MEC Panyanza Lesufi said he has also written to the Auditor -General regarding investigations into the matter.
“They are already in the department investigating the matter. I’m glad. When we get the report we will share it with you. The Auditor-General has acknowledged my letter. He is going to appoint people to come in here. The Premier’s office, as well I, have written to look at all these things.”
SIU probes corruption allegations:
