Diko tender scandal ‘knocks’ Cyril’s image

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s image has taken a battering after his aide, Khusela Diko, was linked to a Gauteng tender scandal that rocked the Gauteng government.

According to political analyst Xolani Dube, the scandal showed rot was entrenched in the ANC. Khusela Diko’s husband, Thandisizwe Diko, who is king of amaBhaca in the Eastern Cape, was allegedly awarded contracts worth millions at the Gauteng department of health to supply Covid-19 personal protective equipment.

This was seen as a conflict of interests because of his wife’s political standing as a member of the ANC provincial executive committee and presidential spokesperson.

Following the scandal, Khusela Diko took leave of absence until the investigation into the matter has been concluded. Her husband denied any wrongdoing, saying he withdrew from the deal and was never paid. Dube said the president rose to power on the ticket of anticorruption.

Also read: Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Khusela Diko takes leave of absence amid tender irregularities probe

“He is forked tongue in the way he is communicating the issue of Covid-19. It is clear which side he is supporting when it comes to the issue of Covid-19 in our country,” Dube said.

“He is on the side of the elite. He is on the side of the so-called minerals energy complex. He has forsaken his role to be the protector of the condemned and the vulnerable in our country.”

Dube said instead of genuine investigation of corruption, the current regime has used the Zondo inquiry as a weapon against those who are labelled as the villains in society. He lashed out at a recent utterance by Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, who reportedly told a standing committee on public accounts meeting on 18 June that not all corruption cases at Eskom were criminal cases. According to Dube, such language was an interesting concept but was unacceptable.

“I don’t think really we need to have so much trust in what currently the government is telling us on how to combat corruption in our country,” said Dube.

Dube was worried by the silence of the SA Communist Party and trade union federation Cosatu around corruption which, the analyst said, showed the two working class vanguards had forsaken their responsibility to the poor.

“The workers realised that they were on their own but I can assure you that they are going to act and they are going to act decisively.”

– ericn@citizen.co.za

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