The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has dismissed an application by former Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku to challenge the findings of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) against him.

The court dismissed the application with costs.

The embattled former MEC was axed after the SIU placed him at the centre of tender processes in the Gauteng health department where presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko's husband received a R125-million tender for the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE), News24 previously reported.

Gauteng Premier David Makhura removed Masuku based on the SIU preliminary report, which found that "he failed to execute his function in compliance with the Constitution and the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA)".

Masuku took to the High Court asking it to rule that the SIU's findings were unlawful, unconstitutional and invalid, and that it be set aside. He accused the SIU of having no "shred of evidence" that he was guilty and said they were only relying on evidence from one source.

SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the unit welcomed the judgment, saying it was an affirmation that the unit conducted its investigations based on evidence.