Gauteng’s battle to contain the surge of Covid-19 infections was dealt a blow after the province’s health MEC was forced to take a four-week leave of absence over a procurement scandal that has also engulfed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko.

A visibly angry premier David Makhura said the scandal over the supply of personal protective equipment, which is under investigation by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), has undermined efforts by SA’s economic powerhouse in the fight against the pandemic, which has killed almost 7,500 people nationally and wrecked the economy...

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