Suspended Tshwane chief financial officer (CFO) Gareth Mnisi has denied any links to tenderpreneur Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala. However, he admitted to a close relationship with Sergeant Fannie Nkosi, who remains behind bars pending his bail application.
Last month, Deputy Chief of Police for Asset Protection and Security Services at the TMPD, Revo Spies, testified before the Madlanga commission about alleged tender rigging.
The commission heard that 22 companies were awarded a security tender, with about R2.9 billion having been paid out to date.
Of the 22 companies, the commission will shed light on three which are alleged to be linked to tender manipulation involving Nkosi.
Mnisi’s name came up during the commission, in WhatsApp messages exchanged between him and Nkosi, as well as in exchanges involving TMPD deputy chief Umashi Dhlamini.
Nkosi testified last month that Dhlamini sent a list of seven preferred service providers for the tender. The list was allegedly forwarded to Mnisi.
Nkosi said he also put forward two companies of his choice to the CFO, one of which is allegedly owned by his brother.
The City of Tshwane placed Mnisi on precautionary suspension on Wednesday, following these allegations.
Mnisi on Nkosi links
On Friday, Mnisi appeared before the commission and confirmed his close relationship with Nkosi.
“I confirm that I regard Sergeant Nkosi as a close personal friend of mine. Our relationship developed over a period of time. As our friendship developed, we found ourselves socialising regularly. We also shared certain interests and hobbies of a common nature, such as biking, shooting, and, of course, an appreciation for good food,” explained Mnisi.
“In short, our friendship was based on compatibility and common interests. I first met Sergeant Nkosi through a mutual acquaintance. At the time of our introduction, Sergeant Nkosi arrived on a motorbike, which immediately drew my attention. We met up after this occasionally. Then later on, to a point of seeing each other on a regular basis. Chairperson, simply put, we became good friends.
“I met Sergeant Nkosi during an extremely difficult and emotionally turbulent period in my personal life, Chair. At the time, I was going through a deeply painful and hostile divorce, which placed me under immense emotional strain. I found Sergeant Nkosi to be a good listener.
“I found myself increasingly confiding in him, seeking personal guidance and advice, and relying on him for support with the personal challenges I was facing at the time. Chairperson, I felt that I could trust him and that he would not betray my confidence. I also found him to be a caring individual. Looking back, I can say I regarded him as a brother.”
‘No sensitive information’
He said that apart from personal matters, the two would discuss work-related challenges, which he believes is “natural for friends” to do. However, they never shared any sensitive information.
Mnisi said he has never received any payment or benefit, either directly or indirectly, from Nkosi. He never received any payment or benefit from Nkosi through a third party.
“I do, however, wish to state that on a few occasions, Sergeant Nkosi accompanied me to meetings or gatherings in instances where I might have felt unsafe or vulnerable purely as a friend. I never perceived this or understood him accompanying me as a benefit of any sort for either of us.”
Procurement interference?
Mnisi said that at one point, Nkosi informed him that his brother’s company was struggling to navigate the City of Tshwane’s procurement environment.
“He indicated to me that, despite his brother’s company being registered as a vendor within the City’s supplier database system and being allocated a vendor number, for some reason, he seldom received communication and requests for quotations from the City, as he had in the past,” explained Mnisi.
Mnisi said Nkosi sent him his brother’s vendor number to check on the system.
“My request was purely to ascertain whether his brother’s vendor number had been correctly migrated and captured accordingly on the City’s new business network. At the time, Chair, numerous complaints were received from suppliers who were having difficulty engaging with the City’s procurement process as a result of the change or the implementation of new internal controls.”
No links to Matlala
Mnisi further denied any links to Matlala.
“I have never met, communicated with, or interacted with Mr Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala in any manner whatsoever. Accordingly, I confirm that no personal, professional, social or official relationship has existed between myself and Mr Matlala.”
He further denied any links to companies flagged in the Tshwane tender system. Although he knows about Nkosi’s brother’s directorship in one of the companies, he has no direct relationship with the brother, he said.
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