[DEBATE] : (Fwd) ANCrony capitalism now rather embarrassing

[Patrick Bond]

The Witness
Zuma: ANC plans to bar politicians from tender processes
10 Dec 2008
Bongani Mthembu

POLITICIANS will soon be barred from participating in the procurement of 
government services to prevent them from unlawfully influencing the 
awarding of tenders.

ANC president Jacob Zuma told journalists in uMsinga yesterday his party 
is looking at implementing measures to separate politicians from 
participating in the tender processes, saying the current system has 
resulted in politicians becoming involved in serious corrupt activities.

Politicians have been accused in the past of influencing tender 
processes to benefit their relatives and friends. Zuma’s words come 
against the backdrop of KZN Health MEC Peggy Nkonyeni’s arrest yesterday 
on corruption charges.

“Part of the problem is that those who are given authority also 
participate in tender processes … and that has caused major problems. 
How do we deal with that? It is clear that we need to separate 
politicians from tenders,” he said.

Zuma said the ANC recently held talks with leaders of Namibia’s South 
West People’s Organisation (Swapo) aimed at fighting corruption in 
government.

“We had discussions with our counterparts from Swapo because they have 
been in government for a long time. We want to learn from them how to 
fight corruption in government and we believe that we will not win if 
politicians continue getting involved in the awarding of tenders,” said 
Zuma.

Although details of the new system have not been finalised by the ANC, 
Zuma said he prefers tender boards, observing that they will not be 
easily influenced by politicians.

“South Africa used to have tender boards. This worked very well because 
there was no undue influence from politicians. We believe that we will 
win the battle against corruption,” said Zuma.
He told journalists that they would soon get details of how the ANC 
wishes to prevent politicians from participating in the tender process.

Zuma, accompanied by the minister of Social Development, Zola Skweyiya, 
Safety and Security Minister Nathi Mthethwa, Foreign Affairs Minister Dr 
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and members of the KZN legislature, was in 
uMsinga to see problems in the area at first hand.

During door-to-door visits, they discovered that people of Mkhuphula 
area in uMsinga do not watch television and do not receive and make 
cellphone calls because there is no network coverage.

Addressing people of uMsinga yesterday, Zuma said he will make sure that 
cellphone service providers and the SABC sort out the issue of coverage.

“We will make sure that we push cellphone service providers and SABC to 
address this issue so that you can also watch TV and use cellphones like 
all other South Africans,” he said.

bmthembu at witness.co.za

***

Premier ‘candidate’ in court
10 Dec 2008
Ingrid Oellermann and Nalini Naidoo

Health MEC Peggy Nkonyeni (47), who was formally arrested on a 
corruption charge yesterday and appeared in court with two co-accused, 
is favoured to be a candidate for the provincial premiership in the 2009 
elections.

There is a strong lobby within the ANC Women’s League supporting her for 
the position, confirmed Msunduzi Mayor Zanele Hlatshwayo, who chairs the 
Moses Mabhida branch of the league. Hlatshwayo questioned the timing of 
Nkonyeni’s arrest, saying she is among the favourites for the position.

The mayor was among many supporters who attended the court proceedings 
and lent vocal support to Nkonyeni. There was robust singing and 
toyi-toyiing as people in the crowded public gallery waited for the 
magistrate. Other political heavyweights spotted were Arts and Culture 
MEC Wezizwe Thusi, Cosatu provincial secretary Sdumo Dlamini and SA 
Communist Party KZN secretary Zet Luzipho.

Nkonyeni and two others — businessman Henry Lindelihle Mkhwanazi (38), 
and Mduduzi Ntshangase (44) of the Health Department — appeared in the 
Pietermaritzburg Regional Court before magistrate Chris van Vuuren.

Scorpions prosecutor Hein van der Merwe said Nkonyeni and Mkhwanazi are 
charged with contravening the Prevention of Corruption Act, Mkhwanazi 
and Ntshangase are charged with fraud, and Ntshangase faces an 
additional count of contravening the Public Finance Management Act.

The state was not opposed to the granting of bail on the strict 
condition that the accused may not communicate with or interfere with 
state witnesses Andile Zondo, Malcolm Peters and Busi Ndaba, who all 
work in the procurement section of the Health Department.

Nkonyeni and Mkhwanazi were both granted bail of R10 000, while 
Ntshangase was released on bail of R5 000 after his advocate, Sticks 
Mdladla, said he could not afford the higher amount.
The case was postponed to January 22 for further investigation as well 
as the drafting and serving of the docket and a final charge sheet.

The charge sheet before court did not contain details of the allegations 
facing the accused. But in a statement released after the case, National 
Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesman Tlali Tlali said the state will 
bring evidence that the accused “criminally interfered with and/or 
influenced” procurement procedures relating to the purchase of a cancer 
screening machine.

“The machine, which forms a critical part of the investigation, was 
seized by the Scorpions when search warrants were executed in the course 
of the investigation. Other allegations are being separately 
investigated,” he said.

Tlali said the arrests followed an investigation authorised under the 
NPA Act in February.
The Witness has reported that Mkhwanazi is alleged to be the owner of 
Rowmoor Investment, the company that was awarded the tender for the 
cancer scanner, and he was alleged to have had a “personal relationship” 
with Nkonyeni.

The crowd made no secret of their disapproval of the media attention on 
Nkonyeni.

Shouts of “We don’t want the media” and “No cameras” greeted the arrival 
of a television crew and photographers who were granted permission by 
the magistrate to film inside the courtroom.

Nkonyeni’s bodyguards blocked the entrance to the court and tried to 
control access. An SABC journalist said she was grabbed by the arm by a 
bodyguard who allegedly tried to pull her out of court.

The Witness was told Nkonyeni arrived at court early in a black SUV 
accompanied by bodyguards, and waited in the parking lot until 8.45 am, 
when she alighted and slipped into the court via a back entrance.

In the presence of her attorney, Larry Seethal, Nkonyeni handed herself 
over to members of the Scorpions.

In the privacy of an office, formal arrest procedures — which include 
the taking of fingerprints — were carried out.

Dressed smartly in a black suit, she took up a position in the front row 
of the court gallery, laughing and chatting with her supporters and 
being embraced occasionally by friends.