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Hours after being fired for failing to exercise oversight of controversial PPE contracts, former Gauteng health MEC Bandile Masuku criticized the Special Investigation Unit report that led to his dismissal.
Former Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku plans to go to court to challenge the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) report on his role in awarding controversial personal protective equipment (PPE) contracts, which led to your dismissal. Announced by Prime Minister David Makhura on Friday.
In a statement released hours after Makhura announced his dismissal, Masuku criticized the SIU, claiming that its report “makes incorrect and non-factual conclusions about my role as executive authority.”
The SIU investigated Masuku’s role in PPE deals worth R 125 million awarded to Thandisizwe Diko’s Royal Bhaca projects, which were subsequently canceled. Diko is married to presidential spokeswoman Khusela Diko. The Masuku and Diko families are close friends.
Makhura said that the SIU found that Masuku “did not perform his duties in accordance with the Constitution and the Public Finance Management Act.” According to a Working day report, the SIU found that Masuku’s office was aware of the irregularities in the PPE tender but did not act.
Masuku said that he had followed the advice of the ANC and resisted commenting on the accusations against him.
“In this joint [sic] I consider it fair that I finally speak for myself. I do it because I understand that in politics, perceptions do matter, ”he said.
“I wish to state in advance that, as I have done with all the accountability platforms I have been on, I did not act dishonestly, illegally or corruptly to benefit myself, my family and friends at the expense of the people facing great suffering against Covid-19 “.
The former health MEC accused the SIU of ignoring all the affidavits except one, did not say which one, and did not refer in his report to the evidence he and his office presented.
He claimed that the SIU confused the distinction between its role as MEC and the accountant, the department’s chief executive, and the researchers did not link the evidence to their findings.
Masuku accused the SIU of using “innuendo in a way that gives the impression that they are engaged in political discourse rather than seeking truth and facts” and said that it did not correctly interpret the law, blaming it for decisions that did not he had nothing to do. with.
“It is clear to me that the SIU is under extreme pressure from legitimate public protest against corruption and the need to ensure accountability or is deliberately involved in politics for purposes that have yet to be established,” Masuku said.
Masuku said in April that he asked the head of Gauteng’s health department to investigate the PPE procurement deals. Professor Mkhululi Lukhele, the department head at the time, recently resigned after being suspended amid allegations that he did not exercise sufficient supervision.
The former MEC of health stated that “it is extremely unfair that certain media, the SIU and all those involved in the sale of falsehoods suggest or imply that I did not supervise the acquisition of PPE Covid-19”.
“I must seek the option of a legal review [to] I put aside these SIU findings because after this, I still have to face family, mentors, comrades and friends and give an account once more.
SIU spokesman Kaizer Kganyago said investigators offered all interviewees, including Masuku, the opportunity to tell their side of the story and that the recommendation to take administrative action against Masuku was made after considering all the evidence.
He said it was “very unfortunate” that the SIU could not directly respond to each of Masuku’s allegations, but that they will be aired in court.
Kganyago said the SIU provides regular interim reports on its investigation into Covid-19 relief spending, to be sent to President Cyril Ramaphosa when completed. As a result, actions have been taken against various officials from the Gauteng health department.
In July 2020, Ramaphosa signed a proclamation authorizing the SIU to investigate any illegal or appropriate conduct in the procurement of goods and services in the state’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
After citing reasons for firing Masuku on Friday, Makhura said he could reappoint him if he is acquitted of the corruption allegations. Makhura said he would not appoint another permanent health MEC until the SIU investigation is complete.
“I want to know and complete this before appointing the MEC for health in Gauteng because I mean, if MEC Masuku is authorized, I will gladly reappoint him to the MEC for health,” the prime minister said. DM
