TSHWANE, SOUTH AFRICA – JULY 10: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are hung next to tents dedicated to the treatment of possible COVID-19 coronavirus patients at the Tshwane District Hospital on July 10, 2020 in Tshwane, South Africa. According to a media release, Health MEC and the Minister Mkhize visited the facility as part of supporting the staff that is working tirelessly during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Gallo Images/Alet Pretorius)
COVID-19 corruption: ‘We are waiting anxiously’ – EFF MP
The inter-ministerial committee (IMC) looking into PPE corruption appeared before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa)
TSHWANE, SOUTH AFRICA – JULY 10: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are hung next to tents dedicated to the treatment of possible COVID-19 coronavirus patients at the Tshwane District Hospital on July 10, 2020 in Tshwane, South Africa. According to a media release, Health MEC and the Minister Mkhize visited the facility as part of supporting the staff that is working tirelessly during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Gallo Images/Alet Pretorius)
The Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) MP Constance Mkhonto is not entirely convinced that the inter-ministerial committee (IMC) tasked with tackling the fraud and corruption allegations related to the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE), will yield any positive results.
The committee, led by Justice Minister Ronald Lamola appeared before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) on Friday, 21 August 2020 to give an update on the work done so far.
President Cyril Ramaphosa established the committee following a slew of reports implicating various government officials in questionable COVID-19-linked tenders. Some of those fingered included Ramaphosa’s very own spokesperson, Khusela Diko, who took special leave.
Mkhonto further asked the committee to give a time frame for when they would be expected to have completed their duties, saying they wanted to avoid an ongoing investigation which would be stagnant.
Mkhonto: ‘Maybe the public is worried’
“I did not hear the presentation from the DG (director-general) talking about what are the departments internally going to do to assist this process”, Mkhonto said.
“Maybe the public is worried about members of the executive assisting the judiciary. We’re looking forward to seeing exactly how this is going to unfold”
However Mkhonto said they would give the committee the benefit of the doubt and were looking forward to seeing how the process would be unfolding.
“The public is waiting and we are waiting anxiously”, she added.
Mkhonto said there were people who have mastered the art of contravening the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and NFMA.
“I’m happy almost all the agencies are talking to the point that we have to build state capacity”, she added.
Despite the skepticism surrounding the committee, she said they wanted to see the process become permanent and not only focus on COVID-19-related matters.
Mkhonto has also called for the necessary resources to be availed to ensure that the agencies are able to conduct their duties effectively and efficiently.
Lamola, who also briefed Scopa, said information related to the PPE tenders was available on the National Treasury website, which would make it easy for members of the public.
“Information is being made available so (people) can be held accountable by the committee, by Parliament, but also others and ordinary South Africans,” he said.
“Information, when it’s available in the public domain, any member of the public can access it.”
