President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed a committee of ministers to deal with allegations of corruption in the expenditure of COVID-19 funds.
The team, chaired by Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola, will look into allegations of theft in the buying of medical equipment to fight the virus, including Personal Protective Equipment.
The president’s decision followed a Cabinet meeting yesterday.
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni also announced on Wednesday that, owing to corruption allegations, the emergency procurement of PPE had been stopped, saying government institutions would now have to follow normal procurement procedures, which include open bidding for tenders.
In the last few weeks, government has been inundated by allegations of graft in the awarding of contracts for PPE.
Relatives of senior ANC leaders were counted among those who scored millions in PPE contracts.
“To assist the committee in its assessment of COVID-19-related procurement, President Ramaphosa has requested all ministers and premiers to provide information on the names of companies and details of tenders and contracts that have been awarded in national departments, provincial governments and public entities during the period of the National State of Disaster,” the Presidency said in a statement.
“The President has directed that these lists must be provided to the committee of ministers as a matter of urgency this week. The committee will prepare a comprehensive report which the president intends to release as public information,” it added.
The committee comprises of Lamola as chairperson, Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni, Police Minister Bheki Cele, Public Service and Administration Minister Senzo Mcunu and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.
