Lekalakala - who came to national prominence in 2018 when it was revealed he spearheaded the deal in which Mediosa pocketed R30 million as a down payment for a single mobile clinic - handed himself to the Hawks on Monday for a separate matter. He briefly appeared before the Mmabatho Regional Court thereafter and was released on R20 000 bail. He and former Finance MEC and current MP, Wendy Nelson, have been implicated in the irregular appointment of a senior official in the troubled provincial Health Department in 2014. The Hawks are yet to confirm if Lekalakala is indeed the senior official at the centre of the debacle.

Lekalakala, who has since been placed on precautionary suspension and then turned to the courts regarding his suspension, eventually emerging victorious, has allegedly not returned to the department’s headquarters following threats from employees and unions.

Then Premier of the province, Supra Mahumapelo, who was also implicated in the saga, instituted a forensic report into the deal in 2018. The firm carrying out the investigation was the controversial Open Waters company. Following the 2019 general elections, Mahumapelo told OFM News that incumbent Premier Job Mokgoro must release the outcomes of the report when probed on corruption allegations against him.

Nelson and Lekalakala are due back in court on 6 September 2019.

OFM News