MK Party's Sifiso Maseko fired over R588 million graft

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The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has welcomed Sifiso Maseko’s dismissal as Head of Infrastructure Development at the Gauteng Department of Health.

During his suspension, Maseko ventured into politics and joined the Jacob Zuma-led uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party and was appointed the party’s fourth secretary-general. In November 2024, the party confirmed that Maseko had resigned as he was reportedly set to return to his former position in the Gauteng Department of Health.

SIFISO MASEKO FIRED OVER CORRUPTION

The South African�previously reported�that Maseko raked in millions while sitting at home, after he was suspended with full pay by the Gauteng Department of Health over two years ago.

Maseko, along with eight other government officials, were suspended between 25 January 2022 and 1 February 2022, after a recommendation by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report.

The SIU probed irregular procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) by the Gauteng Department of Health during the National State of Disaster from various service providers.

The SIU recommended that disciplinary and criminal action be taken against three GDH officials, which include Maseko (who went by the name Goodhope, not Sifiso, at GDH), and six officials from the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development (GDID).

Disciplinary charges against Maseko and the others were brought over the flouting of procurement and contractor appointment regulations. This was about the AngloGold Ashanti Hospital refurbishment project in the West Rand, where the Gauteng government spent over R588 million instead of the initially budgeted R50 million.

Following Maseko’s dismissal, SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said they welcome the decision and that the disciplinary actions show that state institutions are acting on the results of the SIU investigation and implementing the consequences to hold officials implicated to account, recover assets and financial losses incurred by these institutions, and prevent further losses.

DA WELCOMES CONCLUSION OF DISCIPLINARY HEARING

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has welcomed the conclusion of the disciplinary hearing.

DA Gauteng shadow MEC for Health Jack Bloom said criminal charges should be laid against the implicated officials and those in the companies that benefitted from the irregular contracts.

“There should also be political accountability for the extremely poor decision to refurbish this hospital in the Far West Rand that the provincial government did not even own. It was supposed to be used for Covid-19 patients in 2020, but only a hundred patients were treated there and the hospital is now abandoned and vandalised. There should be no cover-up as I suspect the disciplinary process was deliberately delayed to protect certain people,” Bloom said.