Pretoria - As the ANC in Gauteng is still struggling to take decisive action against provincial Health MEC Bandile Masuku - his department has placed another top official on suspension for his alleged role in the illegal issuing of PPE tenders.
Vusi Mokoena, the acting chief director supply chain management at the Gauteng Department of Health was placed on suspension last Friday for allegedly breaching PPE procurement rules. He is due to face disciplinary charges.
This was revealed by the Gauteng acting Health MEC Jacob Mamabolo on Tuesday.
Mokoena confirmed his suspension but said the department had to furnish him with the list of allegations.
He was appointed to the post in August following disciplinary charges against Thandi Pino who was head of the unit.
“The allegations against the official in question are that he failed to follow proper processes in the procurement of PPE.
“Furthermore, the official is also alleged to have conducted an act of dishonesty in discharging his duties thus bringing the department into disrepute. The matter is now subject to an internal investigation,” Mamabolo said.
Mamabolo added that the checks and balances introduced after the R1.9 billion PPEs scandal came to light were beginning to yield results.
The latest bust came as the ANC allegedly failed to take disciplinary action against Masuku for his alleged involvement in the PPE scandal.
Insiders say the fallout between two ANC factions in Gauteng has technically saved Masuku's career - at least for now.
This is according to senior ANC officials - who were part of the two days meeting over the weekend which failed to determine Masuku's future in the ANC and in the Gauteng provincial government under Premier David Makhura.
ANC provincial secretary Jacob Khawe denied allegations of factional battles in a series of radio interviews.
He said their reasons to put on hold any decision on the future of Dr Masuku, his wife Loyiso and President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Khusela Diko was due to certain limitations in the Provincial Integrity Committee report presented to the provincial body.
“We found the report to be missing certain details which would have allowed us to make a determination on the matter,” Khawe said.
Khawe said they’re expecting an SIU report in a week or two, saying they hoped to use the two reports to assist them to bring finality to the Covid-19 corruption report.
Political Bureau