Anger at Mkhwebane over loss of loan

Public Protector will not appeal ruling

A naturalised black South African businesswoman who lost out on a R5-million loan because she was born in Zimbabwe, is angry with Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s office.

Naomi Ngwenya was this week informed that Mkhwebane’s office would not be appealing a North Gauteng High Court judgment reviewing and setting aside her predecessor Thuli Madonsela’s September 2014 report.

The report by Madonsela related to her finding on Ngwenya’s application for funding from the National Empowerment Fund (NEF).

On August 10 2012, Ngwenya, the managing director of BestCare Medical Supplies received notification that NEF had invested R5-million in her company. Barely a month later, the NEF withdrew the offer allegedly because Ngwenya did not meet the definition of a “black person” in terms of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act.

Madonsela found that it took the NEF 28 months to find out that Ngwenya was a naturalised South African of Zimbabwean origin. She ordered the NEF to apologise publicly and pay her an unspecified amount of “sorry money”.

Mkhwebane’s spokeswoman Cleo Mosana confirmed that the court ruling would not be appealed but would not provide reasons. Ngwenya said she had asked Mkhwebane’s office to provide reasons for not appealing the September 22 judgment.