- The Special Investigating Unit has welcomed the sacking of Sindiswa Gomba as an MEC.
- Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane fired Gomba after she was implicated in two scandals.
- The SIU has instituted civil proceedings in the Special Tribunal to prevent the awarding of a failed R10 million motorcycle contract.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has welcomed the disciplinary action that was instituted against Sindiswa Gomba, the now former Eastern Cape health MEC.
Gomba was fired by Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane after she was charged with corruption, money laundering, fraud and the contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act in connection with a Nelson Mandela funeral scandal in the Buffalo City Metro.
Millions of rand were allegedly siphoned from municipal coffers under the guise that the money was for the Mandela memorial and funeral services.
READ | Mabuyane after firing Gomba: 'I want to preside over a clean government'
A report by the SIU, which found Gomba complicit in a R10 million motorbike procurement scandal, was also cited as a reason for her sacking.
"The SIU investigated the allegations relating to this procurement and found that the procurement process was irregular and made findings relating to the MEC and the former superintendent of the Eastern Cape provincial Department of Health," said SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago.
Mabuyane committed to subject the former superintendent-general of the Department of Health to a disciplinary inquiry.
"In view of the contract award that was irregularly made by the department, The SIU instituted civil proceedings in the Special Tribunal to interdict the department from executing the contract and making any payment based on it," Kganyago said.
The Special Tribunal interdicted the department against making any payments to the supplier and accepting delivery of any goods from the supplier, pending the finalisation of review proceedings to challenge the validity of the award and resulting contract.
The civil proceedings to review and cancel the contract will be heard on 22 April 2021, Kganyago added.
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