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Redeemer Lukhele. Image: @ GautengHealth / Twitter
NEWS
The investigation into corruption related to the acquisition of personal protective equipment (PPE) by the Gauteng provincial government has taken another scalp.
Professor Mkhululi Lukhele, head of Gauteng’s health department (HOD), has been placed on preventive suspension after allegedly being implicated in irregularities by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU).
City Press revealed last week that Lukhele was singled out for failing to institute disciplinary proceedings against former Gauteng Health CFO Kabelo Lehloenya when supply chain director Thandi Pino reported the matter.
Read: Gauteng bosses ordered to return R30 million after SIU investigated PPE looting scandal
According to SIU documents, “on April 6, 2020, the illicit and irregular conduct of the first accused [Lehloenya] it was brought to the attention of Lukhele who didn’t act.
Gauteng Prime Minister David Makhura announced Wednesday that he had placed Lukhele on preventive suspension with immediate effect.
In a statement, the prime minister said he was acting in accordance with the SIU’s recommendations following an updated report presented to him on September 22.
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“The SIU found that HOD did not exercise its responsibility in awarding contracts to certain companies for the acquisition of goods and services in connection with the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. HOD’s actions, or omissions, may have resulted in the department incurring fruitless and wasteful expenses.
“Lukhele will remain on pre-trial suspension until SIU completes investigations and disciplinary proceedings for misconduct,” Makhura added.
The SIU estimated that Ledla Structural Development, the company that had used Diko, received an overpayment of almost R30 million.
City Press reported on Sunday SIU Special Court documents revealing that Lehloenya altered prices from a listing submitted by Thandisizwe Diko, the husband of presidential spokeswoman Khusela Diko.
The documents are part of a civil lawsuit in which the two Gauteng officials are blamed for the massive looting of PPE funds.
“The SIU identified that the quotation metadata was created by Madzikane II Thandisizwe Diko and modified by the first defendant on April 17, 2020, before the first defendant accepted the quotation,” the document reads, adding that the prices accepted by the former CFOs were above the maximum prices regulated by the National Treasury.
The SIU estimated that Ledla Structural Development, the company Diko had used, received an overpayment of almost R30 million, and wants Lehloenya and Lukhele to be liable for the loss.
“Taking into account the circumstances set out above, it is fair and just that Lehloenya and Lukhele be ordered to pay the sum of R29 676 709.10 to the SIU, the Gauteng health department and / or the state, jointly and severally, Paying the other to be acquitted ”, reveal the documents read by City Press.
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Lehloenya resigned from his post following the discovery of the irregularities.
The payment was made through Ledla, despite the company not being on the original list of 75 selected bidders who shared R2.2 billion worth of PPE contracts.
The SIU has already obtained a provisional order in which several bank accounts of the companies involved and the pension funds of the two officials have been frozen.
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