Presidency clears Diko’s return, but in new role

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa’s former spokesperson, Khusela Diko, is set to return to work.

The Presidency last night confirmed that it had finalised a disciplinary process against Diko following her failure to disclose her interests in certain companies as required by the public service regulations.

In a statement, the office of the Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele, said Diko had been served with a written warning for her offence.

“The action taken by the Presidency management was in compliance with a recommendation by the Special Investigating Unit that Ms Diko be disciplined for her failure to disclose certain interests,” the statement read.

But it appears that Diko, who is said to be on maternity leave after she recently gave birth, will not return to her original position.

The Presidency said she would be deployed to a different office.

Diko took a special leave of absence for just more than a year after reports that her husband, Amabhaca King Madzikane II Thandisizwe Diko, secured Covid-19 PPE tenders from the Gauteng Health Department to the tune of R125 million.

Diko remained mum yesterday on her imminent return to work.

The SIU found that the multimillion-rand PPE tender was irregular and unlawful, but Diko has long maintained that she was not involved with her husband’s business interests.

The ANC’S provincial integrity committee found that Diko and former Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku had brought the party into disrepute and recommended they step down from the Gauteng provincial executive committee. The duo challenged the recommendation, and in May this year, Diko and Masuku were cleared by the ANC national disciplinary committee (NDC).