Gauteng Health HOD falls on his sword amid PPE investigation
The Head of Department (HOD) for the Gauteng Department of Health, Professor Mkhululi Lukhele, has resigned with immediate effect.
This week Premier David Makhura placed Lukhele on precautionary suspension following on the recommendations contained in a report by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).
“The SIU found that Lukhele failed to exercise his responsibility in the awarding of contracts to certain companies for the procurement of goods and services in relation to the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic," said the Premier's spokesperson, Vuyo Mhaga.
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"The actions or omission by the HoD may have resulted in the department incurring fruitless and wasteful expenditure," he explained,
On Friday night, Mhaga confirmed that Lukhele had subsequently resigned.
Answering questions in the provincial legislature on Tuesday, Makhura said that criminals took advantage of the national disaster procurement regulations.
"The crooks were always watching and were always around, it's just that the system was tight enough and it was difficult to flout them. When the disaster was declared and, the emergency procurement kicked in, they pounced and undermined and destroyed a system we spent the last five to six years building, my heart is very sore,"
The SIU is probing allegations of corruption in the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the province as well as the officials who allegedly enabled and facilitated large-scale corruption.
