Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane will be appointing an independent team of investigators to urgently lay bare Covid-19-related personal protective equipment (PPE) corruption. 

The Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency, Mpumalanga Provincial Treasury; Department of Culture, Sports and Recreation; Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs; as well as the Mpumalanga Parks and Tourism Agency will be investigated.

Mtshweni-Tsipane said these investigations come after glaring discrepancies were revealed in preliminary investigations.

“We took a conscious decision and announced during [the State of the Province Address] that we will empower deserving [small, medium-sized and microenterprises] owned predominantly by youth, women and people with disabilities. We have noted, with serious concern, the inequitable distribution of resources to a limited group of entities. Our investigators will assess the criteria utilised to select these benefited few,” she said.

The investigating team will complete its work in the next two weeks and if prima-facie evidence of wrongdoing is uncovered, the Premier will request the Special Investigating Unit to investigate further.

Mtshweni-Tsipane further warned the province that Level 2 of the national lockdown and the reopening of economic sectors brings with it a concomitant risk of a second wave of Covid-19 infections.

“The primary wave of infections has already had a devastating effect on the fiscus and the provincial economy. It is imperative for all of us to ensure that government’s limited resources are utilised optimally and malfeasance is eliminated,” she said.