EFF casts aspersions on ANC integrity committee probe into Covid-19 looters, PPE tenders

Presidency spokesperson Khusela Diko File picture: Twitter/@MYANC

Presidency spokesperson Khusela Diko File picture: Twitter/@MYANC

Published Aug 1, 2020

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Pretoria – The Economic Freedom Fighters in Gauteng on Saturday cast aspersions on the ANC’s handling of alleged corruption and looting in the tender process for the provision of coronavirus (Covid-19) personal protective equipment (PPE) and related services by ANC members and people linked to the party.

“The EFF in Gauteng holds a strong view that the provincial integrity committee of the ANC is just a structure used to shield and protect wrongdoing, and it cannot be trusted to conduct fair investigation on this matter,” EFF Gauteng acting chairperson Itani Mukwevho said.

“We are aware that we are dealing with a syndicate where the MEC [Gauteng health MEC Bandile Masuku], his wife Loyiso, [presidential spokesperson] Khusela Diko, and the [ANC] provincial secretary [Jacob Khawe] are a family. Possibilities are high that this issue may be manipulated and a different outcome reached,” he said.

Khawe is Khusela Diko's ex-husband. Loyiso, Masuku’s wife, is the City of Johannesburg’s mayoral committee member for shared services.

Last week, the provincial executive committee of the ANC resolved that Diko and the Masukus be subjected to investigation by the party’s provincial integrity committee. The three have been placed on special leave of absence from work.

The EFF called on the Special investigating Unit (SIU) to “speed up” its investigation into the awarding of the R125 million contracts involved.

“The unit (SIU) must also look at companies where the Masukus and the Dikos are admitted as directors of the same companies to establish the conflict of interest in the awarding of PPE contract. We have long argued that the ANC cannot be trusted with public resources, especially where money is involved,” said Mukwevho.

“There are more allegations that have surfaced indicating that Covid-19 presented an opportunity to loot the state where public monies meant to fight the pandemic was dispensed to companies whose owners are politically connected to the [ANC],” he said.

The Sunday Independent newspaper reported that the company owned by Diko’s husband Amabhaca King Madzikane Diko - Royal Bhaca Projects - scored two contracts worth R47 million and R78 million respectively for the supply and delivery of PPEs to the Gauteng health department.

Royal Bhaca’s contracts are among the R2.2 billion PPE tenders awarded to 75 companies by the Gauteng health department since March 30.

African News Agency (ANA)

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