Gauteng PPE scandal not the first red flag raised over Diko’s influence

As presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko begins her sudden leave of absence amid growing cries of corruption and nepotism stemming from reports of PPE tenders, details of a controversial state-owned enterprise appointment have come back to haunt her and Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration.

DIKO’S HUSBAND ALLEGEDLY APPOINTED BOARD MEMBER OF STATE-OWNED INFRASTRUCTURE COMPANY

Perhaps this isn’t Diko’s first rodeo. According to Tech Central, Diko’s husband Thandisizwe was also allegedly appointed board member for a state-owned infrastructure company. 

In December 2019, it was reported that Minister of Communications Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams — who recently garnered her own unwanted attention by breaking lockdown laws — announced the formation of a state-owned infrastructure company involving Diko’s husband, known as the State Digital Infrastructure Company.

According to the publication, State-owned companies Sentech, which provides signal distribution to broadcasters, and Broadband Infraco, which owns a national fibre-optic network, would be merged to create a new state infrastructure company.

Ndabeni-Abrahams said her department was “engaging counterparts to ensure that non-broadband state-owned enterprises that self-provide broadband, such as Sanral, Prasa, Eskom and Transnet, are prohibited from entering the commercial broadband market so as to avoid the state distorting a well-functioning, liberalised market”.

According to Tech Central, she also announced the appointment of four new Sentech board members to fill vacancies, pending the merger with Broadband Infraco. They were named as Malande Tonjeni, Lisa Tele, Mxolisi Tsika and Thandisizwe Diko — Khusela’s husband. 

LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOLLOWING GAUTENG PPE SCANDAL 

Apart from Thandisizwe Diko’s alleged involvement in state-owned companies, he has most recently been accused of digging his fingers into COVID-19 relief funds via personal protective equipment (PPE) tenders. This has been a conflict of interest like no other due to Khusela’s position within the presidency. 

Reports surfaced that two, subsequently cancelled, contracts for the supply of personal protective equipment was awarded to Royal Bhaca Projects. The catch is that Thandisizwe Diko has been labelled director within the company. 

Shortly after Khusela Diko was summoned by the African National Congress (ANC) regarding the PPE tenders, she announced that she would be taking a leave of absence pending the outcome of investigations. 

“I wish to thank the Presidency for timeously acceding to my request. It is of the utmost importance that the work of the Presidency and government as a whole is not undermined or adversely impacted by these allegations, especially at this time when our nation’s focus is on battling the COVID-19 pandemic” she said.

The Presidency appointed Tyrone Seale to act in the position of spokesperson to the President during this time.