Something fishy in the water department
Minister denies it, but CEOs claim adviser is up to no good
● Water & sanitation minister Lindiwe Sisulu’s controversial adviser, Mphumzi Mdekazi, is driving a luxurious Range Rover Sport owned by a friend he introduced to the CEO of a water board for business purposes.
Mdekazi was thrust into the spotlight this week after Vuyo Zitumane, CEO of Eastern Cape water utility Amatola Water, alleged in an affidavit that Mdekazi had tried to influence the awarding of tenders.
In her affidavit, supported by another by Phineas Legodi, the CEO of Limpopo water supplier Lepelle Northern Water, Zitumane alleges Mdekazi told her he needed R35m to settle costs incurred during Sisulu’s 2017 ANC presidential campaign.
Five current and former executives in Sisulu’s department of human settlements, water & sanitation and its entities told the Sunday Times that Mdekazi is calling the shots in the department and has been allowed to do so by Sisulu herself.
One former executive, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: “The guy is in full control. I am not given to conspiracies. He is in full and total control of the whole department and to an extent the water boards as well.”
A water board CEO, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “He is always claiming to be in charge of the department and the ministry.”
But in an interview with the Sunday Times yesterday, Sisulu dismissed claims that Mdekazi is running her department as “astoundingly untrue and absolute nonsense and rubbish”.
In an interview on Friday, Mdekazi admitted to driving the Range Rover Sport owned by Free State businessman Sebenzi
Bakubaku. Bought last year, the vehicle is worth at least R1.8m.
Screenshots of WhatsApp messages provided to the Sunday Times show that in August last year, Bakubaku approached a water board CEO to say that he had been referred by Mdekazi.
The messages suggest that Mdekazi had introduced Bakubaku to the CEO and told the CEO to expect a call from him. The CEO told the Sunday Times this week that Mdekazi had asked him “to talk to Bakubaku about boreholes”.
Mdekazi says he only drove Bakubaku’s car for about a month when his own “old” Mercedes-Benz was in for repairs. He said he and Bakubaku are childhood friends.
He denies referring Bakubaku for any contracts. “I have never referred Sebs [Bakubaku] to anyone. I drove his car because mine had mechanical problems. I come a long way with him and there is nothing illegal about that.”
Bakubaku, who denied that Mdekazi had introduced him to the boss of a water board, said Mdekazi was not the only person driving his cars.
“We come from the same village and we have known each other since we were very young. He keeps the cars for quite a long time quite often,” he said.
Water board officials and executives to whom the Sunday Times spoke alleged that Mdekazi throws his weight around. Said one: “The first time I met him, minister Sisulu called him and he showed me his phone. He was basically bragging. He indicated from day one that he was a man of authority.”
The executive of another water board, in KwaZulu-Natal, said that on many occasions Mdekazi had suggested the implementation of specific water solutions in his area.
“He calls us and suggests that we consider certain solutions within the sector. Fortunately, he has not violently imposed himself. He just recommends — he has recommended a few things to all of us.
He hasn’t really imposed something that should happen come hell or high water, but I can tell you that no-one doesn’t know that he has power,” the official said.
“He is always in official ministerial meetings and engages with executives of water boards in individual meetings on the sidelines of the engagements.”
Sisulu dismisses other claims that have been made, including that department resources are being leveraged to launch her campaign for a position in the ANC’s top six in 2022.
“It is all nonsense. It is all absolute rubbish,” she said. “I ran in 2017 and everyone knew about it. If I was running for 2022 why would I do it surreptitiously?”
Sisulu said that while she incurred costs for her ANC presidential campaign in 2017, the R35m that Mdekazi reportedly told Zitumane he wanted to settle campaign debts was a “thumbsuck”. “We don’t know where that comes from.”
She also said Legodi and Zitumane’s affidavits were pre-emptive strikes against investigations her department had launched in the two water boards.
“I think the biggest problem in this department is that people want water tanks because they can bring their friends and cousins and aunts.
“Fortunately, we have taken a decision to phase out tankering water because the system is too corrupt.”
Sisulu also spoke of why she “suspended” the national rapid response task team, which she assembled to provide a rapid response in cases of emergencies in communities.
“I suspended it because I discovered rogue elements in there. I take decisive action wherever I find corruption,” she said, adding that she had discovered members were using her name to “solicit and dispense patronage”.
“Members of the team are currently going through a vetting process,” she said.
The Sunday Times has learnt that Sisulu placed another adviser, Thami ka Plaatjie, on special leave after discovering a recording purporting to be of Ka Plaatjie’s voice discussing how to get companies appointed to supply emergency water tanks throughout the duration of the coronavirus pandemic.
However, Sisulu said Ka Plaatjie had himself decided to take special leave, which Ka Plaatjie confirmed on Friday. He declined to respond to further questions.