After more than a year on a paid leave of absence, Khusela Diko has reportedly been reinstated as Presidency spokesperson.
Has Khusela Diko returned to her post?
Numerous reports rang off on Tuesday morning claiming that the 43-year-old had been allowed back into her position as President Cyril Ramaphosa’s media representative on a warning.
Saffarazzi made a number of attempts to get in touch with current acting spokesperson Tyrone Seale to verify these reports. However, our calls went unanswered.
Diko was suspended in 2020 after a probe undertaken by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) uncovered a shoddy tender deal between her late husband Thandisizwe’s Royal Bhaca Projects and the Gauteng Health Department.
According to the SIU, Thandisizwe, who was the sole director of Royal Bhaca, was awarded R125-million to supply personal protective equipment to the provincial health department in response to the first wave of COVID-19.
Not only was the PPE tender fraudulently obtained, but right after Royal Bhaca was stricken off the deal, a company called Ledla Structural Development was reeled in to a similar tender for R3.8 million.
This, according to Mail & Guardian, is a proxy company allegedly linked to Royal Bhaca. Thandisizwe passed away after a short illness, in February 2021, before the SIU could finalise its investigation into his dealings with the Gauteng health department.
Diko has yet to resurface in her position. The 43-year-old widow has kept a low profile since her suspension. The 43-year-old, after she appeared before the ANC’s disciplinary committee, was forced out of the provincial executive committee, and her role as communications lead at GCIS was suspended.
At the time this article was published, the Presidency had not issued a statement in response to Diko claims.