Suspended City of Tshwane CFO Gareth Mnisi is set to resume his testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Tuesday.
Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
Suspended City of Tshwane CFO Gareth Mnisi will face intense questioning from commissioners on Tuesday morning during his third appearance at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry regarding allegations of tender rigging linked to a R2.9 billion security tender in the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD).
He has been accused of conspiring with suspended TMPD deputy chief Umashi Dhlamini and Sergeant Fannie Nkosi, whom he described as a friend, to rig tenders.
On Monday, Mnisi denied claims that EFF leader Julius Malema gave him a list of seven companies preferred as successful bidders for a R2.9 billion security tender in the city
WhatsApp exchanges between Mnisi and Nkosi showed Nkosi forwarded Mnisi a list of seven companies from suspended Dhlamini for compliance checks.
The list was followed by a message that read in part: "The above is from the red berets, please check with Mfowethu (Mnisi) if it is the same with his from CIC (Juju) to verify the authenticity."
Mnisi flatly denied receiving a list from CIC Juju, who was identified as Malema.
Mnisi faced questioning regarding a potential conflict of interest when it emerged that he assisted a company linked to Nkosi’s brother, Bheki, with tender documentation for a tender outside the City of Tshwane.
Bheki's company, Ngaphesheya Construction and Projects, was simultaneously competing for a TMPD R2.9 billion security tender in a process where Mnisi, as chairperson of the bid adjudication committee (BAC), was set to be one of the adjudicators.
Mnisi justified his conduct by saying he did nothing wrong by assisting Ngaphesheya, stating that his action had no conflict of interest because there was no association between the bid and the city.
"I have no interest, whether financial or any other sort. Whether they receive or appointed in those areas in looking at the broad documentation. I stand not to benefit,” he said.
The company that Mnisi assisted, Ngaphesheya, and El Shadai — one of the two companies Nkosi asked him to check for compliance — was among the seven companies appointed for the security tender in Tshwane.
Evidence leader Matthew Chaskalson is expected to resume questioning Mnisi about the conflict of interest when the commission restarts on Tuesday morning.
rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za