MIDRAND, SOUTH AFRICA – JUNE 29: The Gauteng MEC of Health Dr Bandile Edgar Wallace Masuku at the signing of Memorandum of Understanding that will unlock a multi-million-rand investment and see over 700 beds being added to identified hospitals on June 29, 2020 in Midrand, South Africa. This is part of a strategic public private partnership between the Gauteng Provincial Government and the private sector to partner in long term initiatives that are aimed at transforming the health care system beyond the current efforts to combat COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Gallo Images/Frennie Shivambu)
PPE tender scandal: Scopa chairperson calls for ‘criminal investigation’
Scopa chairperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa says a criminal investigation should be launched following the PPE tender scandal which has implicated Bandile Masuku and Khusela Diko.
MIDRAND, SOUTH AFRICA – JUNE 29: The Gauteng MEC of Health Dr Bandile Edgar Wallace Masuku at the signing of Memorandum of Understanding that will unlock a multi-million-rand investment and see over 700 beds being added to identified hospitals on June 29, 2020 in Midrand, South Africa. This is part of a strategic public private partnership between the Gauteng Provincial Government and the private sector to partner in long term initiatives that are aimed at transforming the health care system beyond the current efforts to combat COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Gallo Images/Frennie Shivambu)
The PPE tender scandal, implicating Presidential Spokesperson Khusela Diko and Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku have made headlines in recent days. Parliamentary Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts Mkhuleko Hlengwa said a criminal investigation should be launched.
Hlengwa aired his views during a panel discussion on eNCA on Thursday 30 July.
PPE TENDER SCANDAL DESERVES COMPREHENSIVE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
Hlengwa, wasting no time, said what needs to come of the PPE tender scandal, is a comprehensive criminal investigation. If not that, he said a special audit by the auditor-general.
“What needs to come out of this is a comprehensive criminal investigation or a special audit by the auditor-general as part of the integrated process that the president has outlined, so far as, the SIU,” said Hlengwa.
Masuku, his wife Loyiso and Diko and her husband King Madzikane have all been implicated in the scandal. Allegations point to the fact that a PPE tender was wrongly awarded to a company in which Diko’s husband is the director.
The tender was subsequently cancelled.
“We must not view this particular transaction in isolation, it’s part of the pattern,” said Hlengwa.
Hlengwa said the issuing of tenders, in general, has been a problem. Referring to those in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, he said it is great cause for concern.
“What I’m fundamentally interested in is that the tenders are actually investigated because to subject people to a tender regulatory process may be noble but it may not yield the consequence management and results which are required to set the tone that corruption will not be tolerated,” he said.
“So it needs to be elevated to a higher level and that level really is incumbent on the premier taking decisions but law enforcement agencies have got sufficient evidence to go by because the fundamental point here is that proximity to power has resulted in people enriching themselves and this is one classical case,” he added.
MASUKU, DIKO REFERRED TO INTEGRITY COMMITTEE
ANC Provincial Secretary Jacob Khawe, while briefing the media on the outcomes of the PEC meeting on Thursday 30 July, announced that Masuku and his wife would also take a leave of absence like Diko.
On top of that, Diko and Masuku were referred to the provincial Integrity Committee following the unfolding of the PPE tender scandal.
“We take this decision for clean governance. We take this decision as a fair process. The Integrity Committee of the ANC is a moment of self-reflection, it’s not a guillotine,” said Khawe.
According to Khawe, the Integrity Committee has to finish its work in the next two to four weeks.
