David Makhura to answer to ANC Gauteng integrity commission

Gauteng premier David Makhura will appear before the ANC’s provincial integrity commission.

This was resolved at a special meeting of the Gauteng ANC’s provincial executive committee (PEC) that ended late on Wednesday night.

He will not be stepping down before that, insiders confirmed.

“He remains the premier, he’s in office but the POBs [public office bearers] or PWC [provincial working committee] will just deal with the timelines to say when he will appear,” a source close to the decision told TimesLIVE.

Makhura will appear before the commission for his office being implicated in Covid-19 personal protective equipment corruption.

In her affidavit before the Special Tribunal, former Gauteng health department CFO Kabelo Lehloenya said she received instructions on who to award contracts to from the office of the premier and the office of the MEC.

Insiders said the PEC decided that this was too serious to ignore.

“It was not a tough meeting, Makhura agreed that he will go to the PEC and they will work out the timeline as POBs and PWC on when he’s supposed to go there,” said an insider who did not want to be named.

The PEC agreed that Makhura’s matter must be dealt with as “a matter of urgency” and has given the integrity commission between four to six weeks to complete its report.

Two more insiders said it was Makhura's decision to appear before the integrity commission.

“The premier is not stepping down. He volunteered to approach the integrity committee to clear matters,” one of them said.

Makhura will be the third Gauteng ANC PEC member to appear before the integrity commission over allegations related to PPE corruption.

Khusela Diko, the presidential spokesperson, and Bandile Masuku, the erstwhile Gauteng health MEC — who serve on the PEC but are currently on suspension — have appeared before the integrity commission.

Their matters are currently before the party’s disciplinary committee.

TimesLIVE