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Blackhead Consulting Director Edwin Sodi testifies in the commission of inquiry into the state capture.
Photo by Gallo Images / Luba Lesolle
- A director at Blackhead Consulting has explained the payments he made to the ANC and other government officials between March 2013 and March 2019.
- Edwin Sodi appeared before the Zondo commission on Tuesday.
- A joint venture between Blackhead Consulting and Diamond Hill Trading 71 was awarded a multi-million dollar asbestos audit contract in 2014.
Edwin Sodi, who was involved in an alleged asbestos looting scheme in the Free State, admitted to Zondo’s commission of inquiry into the state capture that he made payments to the ANC and other government officials.
But he defended the payments, saying there was nothing criminal about supporting a party of his choice.
The payments were made while Sodi’s company benefited from government tenders.
Officials named include Deputy Minister of State Security Zizi Kodwa, Deputy Minister of Communications Pinky Kekana, and Minister of Labor and Employment Thulas Nxesi.
On Tuesday, during his testimony before the commission, Sodi said he did not see the payments as “strange, fraudulent or corrupt.”
A joint venture between his engineering consulting firm, Blackhead Consulting, and the late Ignatius Mpambani’s Diamond Hill Trading 71 landed a multi-million dollar asbestos audit contract in 2014.
The commission also heard that Gauteng and the Free State had extended the contract and found the process to be flawed.
During his previous testimony before the commission, Sodi admitted that his company did not have the necessary certification to handle asbestos.
He appeared again before the commission and was asked about the payments he made between March 2013 and March 2019 to the ruling party and others.
READ | Capture of the State: Official of the Free State owns a house with beneficiary of an ‘irregular’ contract
Sodi told Supreme Court Vice President Raymond Zondo, who chairs the commission, that the amount he gave to Kodwa was R174,000.
“Zizi is [a] friend that I have known for several years, and I made payments to him in a personal capacity before he joined the government when he was still working for the ANC and that can be verified. “
He said he made the payment as a “friend” after Kodwa asked for help several times.
“A lot of that, President, was related, for example, he said ‘we have not paid on time this month since Luthuli House or there are delays in payment’ … and asked for help because he has some debit orders that have to pass”, Sodi added.
City Press reported over the weekend that Kodwa said her friendship with Sodi began in 2015.
According to the publication, Kodwa said at the time that he was stationed at Luthuli House and that he could not have been in a position to influence any government tenders for any profit.
Sodi was also asked about a payment of 6.5 million rand which was referred to as “Zweli Mkhize”.
He said that Mkhize was the ANC general treasurer at the time of payment and that the money was specifically for the party.
Sodi also made a payment of R371 553 to Paul Mashatile, saying the money was made “directly to the ANC.”
He was also asked about a payment he made to Kekana.
“She is someone I consider a sister that I am close to.”
And about the payment he made to Nxesi, Sodi told Zondo that the payment was for “underprivileged” children.
“There were two payments, one of 15,000 rand that was paid directly to the school of a disadvantaged child that I paid based on his application.
“The second payment was R30,000 for accommodation, also for disadvantaged children, which was paid to the institution.”
Other payments asked about include R7.5 million to Bongani More, who was deputy director general of Gauteng’s human settlements department.
READ ALSO | Joint Venture Never Made Illegal Payments On Free State Asbestos Project – Hear State Capture Investigation
Sodi said that More was his business partner, adding that “when he left the government, we agreed to do business together, in fact it was very clear when we talked that ‘look, I want to go into the private sector, I don’t want to have anything to do with it.’ ‘. government, so any opportunity we consider should not be in government.’ “
He also made a payment of R2 million to Linda, who was a department official.
Sodi said the money was a loan after she left the department, adding that the woman was “struggling.”
In a payment he made to Colin Pitso, who was Nomvula Mokonyane’s chief of staff, Sodi said the money was for an entity owned by Pitso’s father.
However, evidence leader Paul Pretorius said: “What also appears to be part of the pattern is that the money goes back to the officials either in joint arrangements or in other ways and the ruling party benefits from these arrangements. As it does. he did with all the work that he did. Now, whether there is a link or not is a topic for further investigation in this case, but it may be a matter the president wants to comment on in due course. ”
Sodi defended the payments, saying he grew up supporting the ANC.
“The fact that there had been some donations from myself individually or from one of my entities … I don’t see it as strange, fraudulent or corrupt. I certainly don’t see it that way. Unless someone convinces me of it otherwise. I do not think there is a crime in someone who supports a party of their choice, “he said.
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