The ANC in Gauteng said today, it has decided health MEC Bandile Masuku, and his wife Joburg MMC of group corporate Loyiso Masuku to take a leave of absence while they are being investigated in connection with the awarding of personal protective equipment (PPE) to companies linked to friends.
The multimillion rand scandal also involves President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Khusela Diko with allegations that there were irregularities in how a company owned by Diko’s husband, Royal Bhaca Projects, scored contracts worth more than R100 million to supply PPEs.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Dikos said they “deeply regret the error of judgement that led Royal Bhaca to seek to do business with the department in the first place”.
Diko is also member of the provincial executive committee (PEC) of the ANC in Gauteng. Diko’s husband and Loyiso are said to be business partners. Diko had already taken leave of absence as Ramaphosa’s spokesperson when the allegations first emerged a few weeks ago.
The party’s provincial secretary Jacob Khawe said the PEC had resolved the Masuku’s and Diko face the provincial integrity commission (PIC) and present their side of the story.
“Both comrade Loyiso and comrade Bandile will be on temporary leave of absence for the duration of two to four weeks while the processes of the SIU (Special Investigating Unit), together with the internal processes PIC is taking place,” Khawe said.
“We took this decision in the interest of clean governance. We equally took this decision not accepting that this comrades are guilty, but we took this decision as a fair process that will allow everybody an opportunity to present their case.”
The Young Communist League in Gauteng welcomed the stance taken by the ANC.
“The ANC should not compromise issues of discipline like it has done with the case of VBS comrades in Limpopo Province, we should not leave any stone unturned. Corruption impedes development and denies the people of the services that they deserve” said YCL provincial secretary, Kgabo Morifi.
