DA takes a swipe at OCJ, labels corruption claims as troubling for SA

The R225 million tender fiasco in the Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ) has led the Democratic Alliance (DA) to speculate that alleged impropriety is afoot.

A company linked to three former employees, including spokesperson and court administration chief director Nathi Mncube, is the subject of corruption allegations.

DA calls for thorough corruption probe

Mncube, former chief financial officer Casper Coetzer and case management director Yvonne van Niekerk resigned on 31 May. They formed their company, ZA Square, five days after OCJ awarded Thomson Reuters the tender.

READ MORE: OCJ tender: Review to probe R225m ICT contract awarded to ex-officials

The move allowed their company to get a large slice of the lucrative contract to supply court software. Following reports of the corruption claims in SA, Reuters reported that Thomson Reuters subcontracted 30 per cent to ZA Square.

In monetary terms, that is around R67.5 million of the deal. Further, Reuters, the international news agency owned by Thomson Reuters, reported that the latter has since launched an investigation and suspended work with ZA Square.

But the DA is not satisfied with the internal investigations the two affected organisations have committed to undertaking. The political party is calling for even sterner probes into the alleged corruption.

DA shadow constitutional development minister Glynnis Breytenbach said she is disturbed by the claims of alleged corruption involving the OCJ.

“The Chief Justice’s Office should be beyond reproach at all times. It should serve as a model of clean, corruption-free administration. It is deeply troubling that the OCJ has jeopardised its reputation and credibility [in this way].

“The DA wants the OCJ to investigate this deal speedily. In addition, it needs to establish if its supply chain management department flouted procurement procedures. If so, it should hold all individuals engaged in corrupt practices accountable.”

DA shadow constitutional development minister Glynnis Breytenbach

Steenhuisen says Ramaphosa used public funds to retrieve ‘dirty dollars’

Meanwhile, jabs are flying as DA leader John Steenshuisen questions the theft at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo in February 2020.

Namibian Police Force (NAMPOL) inspector-general Sebastian Ndeitunga confirmed on Wednesday that they met with SAPS officials on 19 June 2020. The meeting was at an undisclosed location near Noordoewer at the border between Namibian and South Africa.

The two parties reportedly exchanged intel about the criminals that conspired with a domestic worker to steal over R60 million from Ramaphosa’s property.

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