MAKHURA IMPLICATED IN CORRUPTION
Former CFO spills the beans on how lucrative contracts were awarded
Gauteng Premier David Makhura has for the first time been implicated in the awarding of multi-million personal protective equipment (PPE) tenders by a former senior government official who was central to the procurement process in the province.
Sunday World can reveal that former chief financial officer (CFO) at the health department, Kabelo Lehloenya, who was also chairperson of the bid adjudication committee on PPE procurement in Gauteng, deposed an affidavit at the special tribunal implicating Makhura, former MEC Bandile Masuku and erstwhile head of department Mkhululi Lukhele in the graft.
In her affidavit, Lehloenya said Makhura, Masuku and Lukhele gave her names of companies to appoint to supply and deliver PPE in the province, some of which were on the database of the province’s health database.
The startling allegations are also contained in the special tribunal judgment by judge SP Mothle dated December 10 2020, in which the court ruled in favour of the special investigating unit (SIU) in its application to review and set aside Ledla Structural Development and Royal Bhaca’s contracts and to preserve funds held by the two companies and companies associated with them over the illegal payment of
R38-million by the department of health on behalf of Royal Bhaca. Royal Bhaca is owned by Thandisizwe Diko, who is the husband of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Khusela Diko.
“Ms Lehloenya belatedly filed an answering affidavit opposing the interdict against payment of her pension and retirement benefits. In her affidavit, she implicates the premier, the MEC and the head of department as the officials who provided the names of individuals and entities whose bids she received,” reads the judgment.
Lehloenya is adamant that she played no role in the payment of R38-million to Ledla Structural Development, arguing that at the time payment was made she had already left the department after having resigned from her position on May 1 2020.
Royal Bhaca sparked controversy after it was uncovered that the company was awarded PPE tenders worth R125-million by the health department led by Masuku, who was later found to be a family friend of the Dikos.
Masuku was later fired by Makhura after a preliminary report by the SIU found that he had allegedly played a role in the awarding of the contract and that he had also failed to play an oversight role on the awarding of PPE contracts by his department.
Judge Mothle, still quoting Lehloenya’s affidavit, said the former CFO disputed the department’s head of supply chain management Thandi Pino’s version that Lehloenya had instructed officials to assist companies whose names she had given to them to meet the qualification requirements of the tender. Pino, according to the judgment, also told the court that some companies that she was given by Lehloenya were not registered in the department’s database of suppliers.
Makhura denied the allegations made by the former CFO.
“The SIU has not approached me about any allegations of wrongdoing made against me as no such allegations have been made against me. It appears that the judge may have misread the reference made by the former CFO in her affidavit to the role of the office of the premier as though it actually referred to the premier. The reference was to the Office of the Premier and not necessarily the premier,” Makhura said.
Makhura denied the allegations made by Lehloenya. “...the former CFO allegations that she recieved names from the office of the premier, office of MEC and office of HOD must be subjected to the ongoing SIU investigation. If there is any evidence that anyone from the office of the premier was involved in Gauteng department of health’s unlawful PPE procurement activities, swift action will be taken without fear or favour,” Makhura said.
Asked if the SIU would be investigating Makhura following the allegations made against him, spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said: “This investigation is still ongoing.
We will follow any lead and gather all evidence that we need in order to get all info on the investigation.”