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By Baldwin Ndaba 
5h ago
Johannesburg – The Public Prosecutor’s Office has asked Gauteng Prime Minister David Makhura to launch an investigation into a security contract awarded to the family of former Communications Minister Siphiwe Nyanda by the provincial transport department in October 2007.
The call was made by the District Attorney’s Jack Bloom following convicting evidence recently heard at the State Capture Investigation Commission chaired by the Supreme Court Vice President Ramondo Zondo Commission.
The evidence relates to how Nyanda’s company, GNS Risk Advisory Services, allegedly received massive tenders without Transnet officials following any procurement procedures.
“New evidence in the Zondo Commission that Transnet awarded a R18 million contract to a security company linked to former ANC Cabinet Minister General Siphiwe Nyanda sheds new light on a R71 million contract that the Department of Transportation Gauteng Public, Roads and Works (GDTRW) turned over this company irregularly in October 2007, “said Bloom in recounting the testimony.
He added: “According to Bowman Gilfillan director Christopher Todd, then-Transnet CEO Siyabonga Gama canceled an open tender for security services to make way for General Nyanda Security (GNS) to submit an unsolicited offer and be awarded the contract in December 2007. Todd also said that GNS did not even exist as it “had no prior background and was not registered with the regulatory authority Sira, it was only registered the following year and more importantly it had no employees”.
He further stated: “After I lodged a complaint with the Public Protector, she investigated and recommended that the Prime Minister of Gauteng investigate alleged misconduct in the award of a R71 million security contract without tender to GNS Risk Advisory Services (renamed as Abalozi Security) that was part -owned by Siphiwe Nyanda. “
He said the contract was only canceled in March 2010 by former MEC of Roads and Transport, Bheki Nkosi, after a legal review determined that prescribed procurement processes were not followed and that other companies could provide the service at a fee. much lower, but R71 million in total had already been paid to this company.
According to the Public Protector’s report, “there was no evidence” that General Nyanda “was directly involved in obtaining the contract, although, by its own admission, Gauteng Transport did take into consideration” his background in the transport sector. certainty in the award of some of the contracts “.
The report also found that “the circumstances under which the contract was issued are cause for concern, particularly as there appears to be an increasing trend in this direction, with attendant risks with respect to the quality and profitability of goods and services purchased in under these circumstances, as well as the impact on fair competition. “
More than three years after the PP’s recommendation, former Gauteng Prime Minister Nomvula Mokonyane said in March 2014 that President Jacob Zuma had sent him the PP report “a while ago” and that she was “quite satisfied” with the pace of the investigation.
“It was typical for Mokonyane to speak lip-service about corruption investigations and she only responded to the matter because I sent her the PP report and asked her a question in the Legislature.
“I will ask Prime Minister David Makhura to follow up on the tender awarded to GNS and to reopen the investigation if necessary. It is important that there are no cover-ups and there should be consequences for irregularities that waste public money, “said Bloom.
Political Bureau
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