AG Tsakani Maluleke presented the second special report on the financial management of COVID-19 initiatives to the Standing Committee on the Auditor-General on Friday.
The process got under way over the weekend and related to their alleged involvement in corruption linked to personal protective equipment (PPE) contracts.
President Ramaphosa said that what he found 'most disturbing' was 'the wilful intent to commit fraud' at a time when the country was scrambling to procure emergency PPE to protect people.
In its probe into PPE corruption, the SIU found some of the PPE delivered was substandard, and Denisa Cassim Lekhoathi said that posed some health risks to its members.
Bandile Masuku and Khusela Diko were hauled before the disciplinary committee after allegations of impropriety in the awarding of a PPE tender. The hearing was delayed due to requests for new documents and records.
The Special Investigating Unit briefed the media on the report of finalised investigations and outcomes into allegations surrounding the COVID-19 personal protective equipment procurement by state institutions.
Gauteng Premier David Makhura in a statement said that he was happy that Judge Selewe Mothle corrected an error made in his judgment of a matter relating to the PPE saga at Gauteng Health last month.
Gauteng Premier David Makhura addresses the corruption allegations made against him as well as the R431 million school sanitisation project.
Khusela Diko will remain on special leave after being linked to COVID-19 tender corruption allegations.
For the first time since the democratic dispensation, law enforcement entities appeared ever more committed to taking action, with the Hawks swooping in on many suspects including politicians in 2020.
The Gauteng premier said there had been structural problems in the health department for some time - but was hopeful that a new MEC would address those issues.
Presidency spokesperson Khusela Diko, who took a leave of absence exactly four months ago, finally presented herself before the SIU for questioning.
The draft public procurement bill makes room for confidentiality without defining it and limiting its use to narrow circumstances. This leaves the door wide open to abuse.
Masuku returned to work after having been cleared by the ANC’s own processes while her husband has lodged court processes against the SIU over a report it submitted which led to his axing.
Gauteng ANC deputy provincial chairperson, Panyaza Lesufi, said that while the provincial executive could not tell Premier David Makhura who to pick, it could urge him to do so quickly.
Deputy President David Mabuza blamed government systems and controls and also cited the human factor for failing to detect rampant corruption linked to COVID-19 social relief and the procurement of protective equipment and supplies.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is currently investigating fraud and corruption linked to COVID-19 procurement of more than R10.5 billion.
The union's provincial executive committee met over the weekend to discuss the latest developments, including the axing of Health MEC Bandile Masuku over the PPE corruption scandal.
