Makhura offers to resign if he ‘failed to exercise oversight responsibilities’
Gauteng Premier David Makhura said he will step down if the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) found that he failed to exercise his oversight responsibilities to mitigate corruption in the province.
The premier was responding to allegations that he gave names of companies to be given special preferences during the bidding of Covid-19 personal protective equipment tenders.
Makhura said the SIU is investigating his office to find out who gave the names of companies to former CFO Kabelo Lehloenya.
Makhura explained that the former CFO said in the affidavit which implicated him that she got the names of the companies from the offices the premier and the MEC.
He added that when the judge summarised the ruling in the special tribunal court, set up to retrieve monies from the companies that unlawfully were awarded PPE tenders, he substituted the 'the office of the premier' to 'the premier'.
Makhura has already written a letter to the judge for that matter to be rectified.
"The judge of the tribunal yesterday wrote to me that he has acknowledged the application and that it has merits, but he will make his final decision and announce it next week," said Makhura.
"The application is a rectification relief, so I am not challenging the judgment about the recovery of the money that must go to the state.
"I'm challenging a section where it makes reference to what is not in the affidavit by anyone who came to that court. So, there is no one who came in that court and said, the premier has submitted names."
Makhura will also subject himself to the African National Congress' (ANC) integrity commission in order to clear his name.
Last year MEC of Health Bandile Masuku was removed because the SIU found that he failed the exercise his oversight responsibilities, although he was not found to have been corrupt.
