Probe into contract for toilets may open again

THE new public protector Busisiwe Mkwebane’s office may soon reopen the investigation into the controversial Amathole district municipality (ADM) Siyenza toilet contract.

During the previous PP Thuli Madonsela’s term, the office had to halt the probe due to financial constraints.

The public protector has since confirmed to DA leader Mmusi Maimane this week the office was busy hiring new investigators and would proceed with the investigation into the contract that involved more than R630-million.

A Saturday Dispatch exposé two years ago revealed how proper procurement processes were not followed in the multimillionrand tender and the municipality admitted to this.

The Dispatch investigation also uncovered how R60-million was paid to Siyenza Group “for work already done”, yet some sites showed little had been done.

Siyenza is owned by Butterworthbusinessman Bongani Mpeluza with links to certain politically connected individuals.

Among them were ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe’s wife Nolwandle Mantashe; President Jacob Zuma’s former son-inlaw Lonwabo Sambudla; Mantashe’s son Buyambo Mantashe; and Small Business Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu’s son, Boitumelo Itholeng.

The contract was given to Siyenza in October 2014 despite having already been awarded to four other companies two months earlier.

It then emerged the company was imposed on the municipality.

Following the Dispatch investigation, the contract was cancelled and the public protector’s office undertook its own investigation in March 2015 but no findings were released.

As a result Maimane enquired about the progress of the investigation.

In response, the chief investigator for the good governance and integrity (GGI) branch, Abongile Madiba, said: “The investigation into the matter was initiated.

“However, due to lack of resources in the GGI investigative branch, the previous PP decided that we should suspend the investigation and prioritise old cases.”

He added: “We had already received documentation from various stakeholders including the municipality, contractors as well as Siyenza group and [Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs].

“I recall that the Minister of Cogta at the time, Pravin Gordhan, also had an internal departmental investigation and we were to be furnished with a report when we heard that the contract was cancelled.”

Madiba said he would raise the matter with Mkhwebane with a view of “resuscitating” the investigation.

Maimane’s spokesman Mabine Seabi said they welcomed the reopening of the probe and would like to see it concluded “as soon as possible whilst not compromising the quality of the investigation”.

ADM had not responded to questions at the time of writing yesterday. — zingisam@dispatch.