The Freedom Front (FF) Plus on Tuesday said the public protector had agreed to investigate the two sons of deputy president Paul Mashatile after it lodged a complaint against the duo.
The party said it had received communication Mashatile's children will be investigated regarding three contracts that were awarded under alleged suspicious circumstances by the Gauteng department of infrastructure development in 2022.
The FF Plus lodged a complaint with the office of the public protector after reports by Netwerk24 indicating that a company of which Thabiso Mashatile and Tinyiko Mvelase were directors was awarded three contracts by the department in just three months.
The party also requested the office to investigate whether Thabiso and Mvelase could possibly have benefited personally from the government contracts.
“The FF Plus views the decision as a positive step to establish whether the prescribed tender processes were lawfully and correctly followed, and whether the relevant companies and persons can indeed render the services for which they have been contracted,” the party said in a statement.
The party said it was suspected the deputy president's two sons became directors of the company, Ngwato and Manzi Group, just when the tenders were awarded.
It said Netwerk24's investigation revealed that Thabiso had been serving as a director of the company when two tenders were awarded in March 2022. He, however, stepped down on May 10 2022. On the same day, Mvelase was appointed as director.
“This apparently transpired just one month before the Gauteng department of infrastructure development awarded yet another contract to Ngwato and Manzi Group in June 2022. And then on 10 November 2023, Mvelase resigned as director.”
The FF Plus said at first glance, it seemed Thabiso and Mvelase were appointed as directors of the Ngwato and Manzi Group at very strategic times.
“This was possibly done to lend more political weight to the company's tender applications to the Gauteng department of infrastructure development.”
The party said the three contracts awarded to the company entailed highly skilled technical work, including the procurement and supply of autoclave equipment (which sterilises items using steam under high pressure) and building materials as well as providing fire-monitoring and firefighting services.
“If there are any deviations from the procurement processes, it could indicate that the appointments were made to sway the allocation of the contracts in the company's favour.”
TimesLIVE Premium has reached out to the Public Protector's office. The article will be updated once their comment is received.
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