When South Africa entered lockdown in March 2020, the government invoked emergency procurement provisions to rapidly acquire personal protective equipment (PPE). These provisions, while necessary, created an environment ripe for exploitation. The SIU investigation (Proclamation R23 of 2020) examined over R14.3 billion in COVID-19 procurement contracts. Findings revealed systematic irregularities: contracts awarded to companies with no prior experience in medical supplies, prices inflated by 300-500% above market rates, procurement processes that bypassed normal supply chain management, and awards to companies linked to politically connected individuals and government officials. The scandal touched every province and multiple national departments. The most prominent case involved the Gauteng Department of Health and companies linked to presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko's husband, though this contract was ultimately cancelled.