Cosac’s Lawson Naidoo and Ethics Institute’s Dr Paul Vorster discuss government officials being accused in tender irregularities.
Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (Cosac) executive secretary Lawson Naidoo has welcomed the step by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Khuselo Diko to take a leave of absence pending an investigation into Gauteng health tenders linked to her husband.
Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu announced on Monday that Diko was taking leave of absence following the allegations that her husband, amaBhaca King Madzikane II Thandisizwe, benefited from a Gauteng government tender of R125 million to provide Personal Protective Equipment (PEE).
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Gauteng Health MEC Dr Bandile Masuku has also been fingered into the matter.
However, he has denied any wrongdoing citing that as an executive council member he was not involved in the provincial Department of Health’s procurement process.
Special Investigating Unit will probe into 90 companies that received contracts from the Gauteng Department of Health.
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Naidoo along with Ethics Institute senior research specialist Dr Paul Vorster join Clement Manyathela to discuss these investigations as well as the conflict of interest involving these government officials.
Given the high-profile position that Diko holds, it was really critical that she be removed from that position so as to not cloud the office of the president. This is a welcomed step and we should now be focusing on that investigation.
Lawson Naidoo, Executive secretary – Cosac
A speedy investigation will determine the next step as to whether Diko ought to be removed from her position, he adds.
Vorster says a conflict of interest usually occurs an entity or an individual becomes unreliable because of some clash between personal interests and professional duties.
One of the parties to whom they are loyal to ultimately will get the short end of the stick at some point due to the fact that the individual holds a second interest of some sort.
Dr Paul Vorster, Senior research specialist – Ethics Institute
Listen below to the full conversation:
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