Gauteng Premier David Makhura announced on Friday morning that he had relieved Health MEC Bandile Masuku of his duties after the SIU found that he failed to uphold the Constitution and regulations contained in the Public Finance Management Act during COVID-19 procurement processes.
FILE: Bandile Masuku. Picture: @GautengProvince/Twitter
JOHANNESBURG – Axed Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku said he had instructed his lawyers to begin the application process to review and set aside the findings of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) which led to his dismissal from the top post on Friday.
Earlier in the day Gauteng Premier David Makhura announced that he had relieved Masuku of his duties after the SIU found that he failed to uphold the Constitution and regulations contained in the Public Finance Management Act during COVID-19 procurement processes.
Masuku said it was “extremely unfair” that some media outlets, the SIU and others had been peddling what he described as “falsehoods” suggesting he failed to exercise oversight during the procurement of COVID-19 personal protective equipment.
Leaning on the fact that he instructed the head of department to request an investigation as early as 17 April – ahead of all other provinces – Masuku distanced himself from any form of wrongdoing.
In the forensic report commissioned by Masuku and which was released on Thursday, investigators cleared him of any guilt in the irregular tender processes in the province, saying there was no evidence pointing to any wrongdoing on his part.
However, while Masuku is fighting back against his implication in the tender irregularities, Makhura has given him a reprieve, saying should the final SIU report clear his name, he would rehire him.
in the statement issued this afternoon, Masuku listed his accomplishments since taking over the portfolio, adding that his team found the department languishing in shame and distress after the Life Esidimeni tragedy and the Bank of Lisbon fire, which killed three firefighters.