ANC summons President’s spokesperson and others over PPE tender scandal

The ANC has allegedly summoned Presidency spokesperson Khusela Diko, alongside Health MEC Bandile Masuku and his wife Loyiso Masuku, to explain themselves on the tender that was awarded to Royal Bhaca, a company owned by Diko’s husband, Amabaca, King Madzikazi II Thandisizwe.

This comes after the ANC in Gauteng met earlier to discuss alleged irregularities in the awarding of a multimillion-rand tender to the company.

Although attempts to contact Diko were unsuccessful at the time of publishing, the EFF has come out calling for the Presidency to ask Diko to step aside as Ramphosa’s spokesperson.

Malema said Diko could not speak on behalf of the President when her husband was being questioned.

He argues that if President Cyril Ramaphosa was to champion anti-corruption campaigns, how could Diko speak for the President when her husband was involved in alleged corrupt activities, according to a JacarandaFM report.

“To say she didn’t know is to take advantage of our own people. She knew she is probably part of the business or she probably gave direction, she probably filled in the papers herself.

“The President has to do the honourable thing to ask her to step aside in defence of the integrity of the Presidency,” Malema said.

Calls from parties such as the IFP in Gauteng have called for Premier David Makhura to probe the awarding of the multimillion-rand tender awarded to Madzikane II Thandisizwe Diko for provision of personal protective equipment to the Gauteng health department.

How a company which was allegedly established in January 2019, with no track record of supplying PPE, scored the multimillion-rand tender remains a mystery.

Both Diko and his wife have denied allegations of corruption.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.