By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress (ANC) national disciplinary committee (NDC) has overturned Bandile Masuku and Khusela Diko’s suspensions from the Gauteng provincial executive committee (PEC).
The two appealed to the national committee after the Gauteng equivalent found they had brought the party into disrepute.
The ANC’s national disciplinary committee has found them not guilty of contravening the party’s constitution or of unethical behaviour and said they can resume their duties as PEC members.
The two had approached the NDC after they were suspended by the party in the province over the Gauteng health COVID-19 personal protective equipment contract saga.
Diko has been accused of playing a role in the irregular awarding of a R125 million personal protective equipment (PPE) contract to her late husband Chief Madzikane Thandisizwe Diko by the Gauteng department of health last year. The controversial contracts led to the firing of former Gauteng health MEC Dr Bandile Masuku, who is Khusela Diko’s friend and political confidant.
The NDC, which is chaired by Mildred Olifant, also criticized the Gauteng PEC for being procedurally unfair in its handling of the matter.
‘Procedural unfairness’ and ‘unusual steps’, this is in part how the ANC NDC describes the PEC’s actions.
The NDC lambasts moves such as the closing of the gap report, which was established to gain more evidence against Diko and Masuku to add to the provincial integrity committee report (PIC).
It said some of the steps taken, including the use of the PIC report as evidence as part of the disciplinary process, were irregular.
The NDC criticises the PEC for its questioning of the pair, and misdirecting itself.
In the report which was signed off this week, the NDC also clears the pair of any conflict of interest and says they can resume their duties as PEC members.