Masuku and company ‘off the hook’ for now

The ANC in Gauteng has remained mum on its decision on the fate of health MEC Bandile Masuku, his wife Loyiso as well as President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko, despite unconfirmed reports that the trio’s leave of absence had been extended.

The country’s ruling party, ANC, has had its senior officials embroiled in PPE corruption scandals, with Masuku alleged to have influenced the awarding of a R125-million contract to Royal Bhaca Projects – a company owned by Thandisizwe Diko.

Diko also happens to be the husband of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko, and the Masukus and Dikos are family friends.

Masuku’s wife, Loyiso, is a Joburg City councillor and also said to be Thandisizwe Diko’s business partner.

The ANC provincial integrity commission (PIC), which found that Masuku failed to practice adequate oversight of the PPE contracts awarded by the department, has been probing the R125-million tender scandal.

On Monday, the ANC in Gauteng was expected to announce its decision on Masuku’s future after its provincial executive committee (PEC) meeting over the weekend.

After a two-day marathon meeting of the ANC PEC, unconfirmed reports suggest that the leave of absence of the trio, all implicated in the PIC graft report, will be extended by two weeks.

The party’s spokesperson in Gauteng, Bones Modise, was not immediately available for comment.

Reports suggest that the committee resolved that the PIC report on the matter was inconclusive and was riddled with inconsistencies.

On Monday the SA Broadcasting Corporation tweeted that the PEC “felt there was inconsistency and inadequate information provided by the PIC report as it was contradictory in terms of oversight by the MEC”.

“The PEC will not return to the report of the provincial integrity commission, but will go to the PWC (ANC provincial working committee) and officials for processing.

“There is a resolution to engage government and the SIU (Special Investigating Unit) to speed up their investigations,” added the SABC tweet.

In a statement on Tuesday morning, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said it has noted the extension of the trio’s leave of absence as they deal with the party’s integrity commission report.

But the party charged that it was disturbing that the ANC did not separate party and state when deciding Masuku’s fate.

The party’s spokesperson on health in the province, Jack Bloom, said according to the Constitution, only the provincial government has the power to suspend or dismiss Masuku.

He said Premier David Makhura should be firing Masuku for failing to prevent the R2 billion PPE contracts scandal instead of defending him within the ANC.

“This is an accountability issue, and (Masuku) should be held to account. His failure is far larger than the multimillion-rand PPE tender awarded to a company owned by Thandiziwe Diko…” said Bloem.

Masuku should not have lied about the resignation of Chief Financial Officer Kabelo Lehloenya which he claimed was for personal reasons when he knew that she was avoiding disciplinary action because of the PPE contracts,” Bloem said.

He added that the wrangling of ANC factions should not delay Masuku’s dismissal for his lack of oversight in preventing massive corruption, which was also a finding of their own integrity commission.

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