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Former Health MEC of Gauteng Bandile Masuku
PHOTO: Sharon Seretlo / Gallo Images via Getty
- The SIU says it is ready to defend its findings against Gauteng Bandile Masuku’s former health MEC in court.
- The SIU recently placed Masuku at the center of irregular EPP processes in the province.
- Masuku has dismissed the findings and filed an urgent court request for it to be annulled.
The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) has issued a curt response to former Gauteng health MEC Bandile Masuku, disqualifying their findings against him.
Masuku is challenging the findings in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.
The SIU recently placed Masuku at the center of processes in the health department from where the husband of presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko received a R125 million tender to supply personal protective equipment (PPE).
These findings led Gauteng Prime Minister David Makhura to remove Masuku from office.
Masuku is petitioning the High Court to rule that the SIU’s findings are illegal, unconstitutional, and therefore invalid, and to be set aside.
READ | Bandile Masuku Labels SIU Findings ‘Trash’
Masuku and Diko are expected to appear before the Gauteng ANC disciplinary committee.
On Monday, SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said: “To date, the SIU has not received court documents from the former MEC (Masuku). Once the SIU formally receives the court documents from the former MEC, we will respond accordingly. and we will argue our case in court. As the matter would hereinafter be sub judice, the SIU will not comment further on it until the matter is heard and resolved by the Superior Court. “
READ ALSO | PPE Bidding Scandal: Bandile Masuku to Challenge SIU Findings in High Court
Masuku’s lawyer, Mojalefa Motalane, said that over a period of three months he had endured a flood of baseless accusations that have been used to tarnish his integrity and professional image, thereby violating his legal rights and denying him justice.
“To this end, our client is approaching the Superior Court, as an impartial arbitrator, urgently to seek relief,” he added.
Masuku’s objections to the SIU’s findings were widely publicized, notably by News24, City Press, and the Sunday Times.
– Compiled by Riaan Grobler