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The head of the Gauteng health department, Professor Mkhululi Lukhele, has resigned with immediate effect, the provincial government announced.
This comes just two days after it was suspended by Gauteng Prime Minister David Makhura following recommendations from the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) in a report presented to the prime minister on September 22.
“Professor Mkhululi Lukhele, department head of the health department, informed Makhura of his resignation,” said provincial spokesman Vuyo Mhaga.
“Professor Lukhele’s resignation takes immediate effect.”
This week, the deputy director general of HR and corporate services at the health department, Andile Gwabeni, received a suspension letter.
Mhaga said that Makhura has reiterated that everyone involved in Covid-19 corruption and malpractices, whether they are public officials, civil servants or businessmen, must be brought to justice.
Makhura said Lukhele’s suspension was due to his alleged failure to fulfill his responsibilities in awarding contracts to certain companies for acquisitions related to goods and services that were part of the province’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Actions, or omissions, by HOD may have resulted in the department incurring wasteful and wasteful expenses,” Makhura said.
Lukhele was expected to remain on pre-trial suspension until SIU completed investigations and disciplinary proceedings for misconduct.
The district attorney had previously called for Lukhele’s suspension.
Jack Bloom of the party called for the SIU reports to be made public and for criminal charges to be brought against all those implicated in corruption.
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