President Ramaphosa says perpetrators of corruption during a national disaster will be dealt with decisively and harshly.
Writing in his weekly online column on Monday, the President also described it as a heinous crime.
Ramaphosa says those found to have broken the law to enrich themselves through this crisis will not get to enjoy their spoils, regardless of who they are or with whom they may be connected.
The President's spokesperson, Khusela Diko, has taken special leave amid allegations that her husband's company had benefitted from a PPE tender.
Family members of several other top ANC officials have also been implicated in dodgy Covid19 tenders.
“It is difficult to understand the utter lack of conscience that leads a businessperson who has heeded the call to provide lifesaving supplies during a devastating pandemic to inflate the price of a surgical mask by as much as 900%,” he President said.
He said this insidious behaviour is not the preserve of smaller companies, adding that there were “large companies, including a JSE-listed company that have been caught, investigated, found guilty and fined for excessive pricing.”
Ramaphosa said he had signed a proclamation over a week ago, authorising the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate any unlawful or improper conduct in the procurement of goods and services during the national state of disaster.
“This is a broad remit that extends across all spheres of the state and, importantly, provides for civil proceedings to recover misappropriated funds. It enables the SIU to probe each credible allegation that is made about the theft of COVID-19 funds,” he said.
The President warned that those found to have broken the law to enrich themselves through this crisis will not get to enjoy their spoils, regardless of who they are or with whom they may be connected.
