The awarding of a contract for the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) to Royal Bhaca Projects, a company owned by the husband of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Khusela Diko, was a grave embarrassment for the Presidency and the Gauteng department of health.
This is one of the statements contained in a confidential letter of suspension to Thandy Pino, the department’s chief director of supply chain management. Head of department Mkhululi Lukhele told Pino that she had tried to falsely create an impression that the irregular award to Madzikane ll Thandisizwe Diko’s company was a donation from the company.
The discovery of Royal Bhaca came after Gauteng health MEC Bandile Masuku pushed for the special investigating unit (SIU) to investigate PPE procurement in the province following allegations of corruption in the process.
Sunday World previously reported that the SIU had opened a case of fraud against Royal Bhaca, despite Diko having said the contract was cancelled on the advice of his wife, Khusela, who cited a possible conflict since she is a member of the Gauteng ANC provincial executive committee.
The Dikos said they did not receive any payment for the awarded contracts. But the SIU said Diko had fraudulently received a PPE tender for R38 758 115. Last week, Pino was suspended on allegations of facilitating corruption in the procurement of PPE.
The department’s former chief financial officer, Kabelo Lehloenya, has also been fingered by the SIU for the same actions and the provincial government has said it plans to take legal action against her. Allegations against Pino include that she committed gross misconduct and negligence in her handling of PPE procurement.
Pino “attempted to impede justice or the SIU investigation, which conduct is currently still ongoing, by trying to create or perpetuate the fraudulent or false impression that a purchase order that was irregularly granted by the department of health to Royal Bhaca Projects … was in fact an ex-gratia donation of PPE and related goods by Royal Bhaca Projects. “[This], in circumstances where the award of the contract to Royal Bhaca has become a grave embarrassment for the Presidency and the department when it came to light in the media that Royal Bhaca is linked to Khusela Diko, who is presidential spokesperson in the Presidency, and who has since taken a leave of absence following the allegations amid public outrage,” Lukhele said in the confidential letter.
