A security company founded by Tshwane deputy mayor Eugene Modise, and responsible for guarding more than two-dozen public properties, has had its multimillion-rand contract extended — even as the public protector probes possible irregularities in the tender process.
Triotic Protection Services guards 25 sites across the city — including substations, sport facilities and water treatment plants — amid questions about how the company was appointed.
After its three-year contract expired in February, Triotic saw its scope expanded and extended on a month-to-month basis, “pending the finalisation of a new tender, which is still undergoing probity”.
Modise, who also serves as finance member of the mayoral committee, is tipped to return as the ANC’s Tshwane chair at a regional elective conference later this month.
The Sunday Times has reliably learnt that an investigation by the city found Modise may have financially continued to benefit from Triotic despite having resigned as its director more than two years ago.
Modise refused to respond to Sunday Times questions, including about his role in the company, how he may have relinquished his shareholding, and to whom.
He accused the newspaper of being impatient after he was approached on Friday. “What raises eyebrows is that you are aware that the matter is sub judice and the city is busy with the process, and you seem impatient,” he said.
This week a special council meeting meant to discuss the findings of the investigation into the controversial security tender was cancelled.
The internal probe was launched by mayor Nasiphi Moya earlier this year, after the DA raised concerns about possible undue financial benefits enjoyed by Modise.
Triotic is in its fourth year of doing business with the city. The scope of its work has been extended with more sites, increasing its monthly earnings from the city.
Moya’s spokesperson, Samkelo Mgobozi, confirmed the meeting was initially planned for Thursday to discuss the city’s findings, but refused to confirm or deny whether Modise was found to be financially benefitting from the contract.
“We can confirm that the investigation has been completed and submitted to the speaker of council, who is the custodian of such processes. As it is currently pending before council, the city cannot comment on the contents of the report,” Mgobozi said.
On the cancelled special council meeting, he said it had been “briefly proposed on the assumption that the investigative report on the deputy mayor would be ready”.
“A tentative notice was issued on September 30 but withdrawn the same afternoon when it became clear that the report was not finalised.”
Mgobozi also confirmed that the scope of the work by Triotic was expanded this year, but noted that this also affected other security service providers. He said the use of security officers “changed regularly, depending on needs arising from damage, sabotage, vandalism or theft affecting city infrastructure and property”.
We went to the public protector because the mayor did not answer our questions about terms of reference, and we were concerned that the mayor was not treating this situation with the urgency and the seriousness it needed
— Jacqui Uys, DA finance spokesperson
The public protector’s office confirmed on Friday it was investigating the contract after DA finance spokesperson Jacqui Uys laid a complaint in March. Acting spokesperson Ndili Msoki said the probe was “ongoing”.
Uys told the Sunday Times she had approached the public protector’s office after being frustrated with how Moya handled the matter, as well as concerns about the legal standing of the mayor’s probe.
“We went to the public protector because the mayor did not answer our questions about terms of reference, and we were concerned that the mayor was not treating this situation with the urgency and the seriousness it needed,” Uys said.
The DA in Tshwane first raised the Triotic issue in February, after establishing that the company’s address was the Mabopane residential home of Modise’s mother.
Uys said they had also established that the address on company registration records was a home owned by Modise, who had not reported to the council on whether he had sold his shareholding or donated it to someone else.
A long-time employee of the company was now the director of the company since Modise resigned in February 2023, when he became a councillor.
Uys said that during the ongoing audit process, the auditor-general had specifically raised concerns about Triotic’s appointment.
The service-level agreement — seen by the Sunday Times and entered into with the city in April 2022 — had Modise representing the company.
It stipulates that Triotic “shall notify the city, in writing, of any change in the shareholding or members or any change in [Triotic’s] subsidiary companies or holding”.
The city’s budget for security services in the 2025/26 financial year is R565.4m.
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