Peggy Nkonyeni. Photo:Terry Haywood Peggy Nkonyeni. Photo:Terry Haywood
Pressure is mounting on KwaZulu-Natal Premier Zweli Mkhize to act against scandal-dogged Speaker Peggy Nkonyeni after she was accused of impropriety in two fresh controversies, including one of her 13 companies doing business with the Department of Health when she was Health MEC.
Calls for Nkonyeni’s head come as her department scrambles to justify the re-employment of civil servants who resigned from the Health Department amid investigations for serious fraud, only to resurface in the legislature, which Nkonyeni heads.
The Hawks confirmed to the Tribune they were also investigating former Health Department general manager Zenzele Ndlela, who quit in 2008 after being linked to a multimillion-rand fraud scam.
Ndlela was appointed supply chain manager in August.
Hawks spokesman McIntosh Polela said, “I can confirm the investigation into Ndlela is at an advanced stage.” He could not elaborate.
The probe of Ndlela comes after former Health Department spin doctor Leon Mbangwa was employed as head of communication in the Speaker’s office.
Mbangwa was asked to leave the department after failing to produce proof of a Master’s degree, which he claimed to have when he applied for the job.
In response to questions from the DA this week, Finance MEC Ina Cronje said three companies linked to Nkonyeni had done business with the provincial government worth R347 000.
Most damning is a payment of R222 300 in 2008 to one of her companies, Greenville, for the supply of wheelchairs while she was Health MEC.
Other services provided by the companies, some as recently as this year, include venues and facilities, advertising and marketing and catering.
Payments of R35 500 and R49 200 were made by the treasury to Nkonyeni’s Inhlansi Business Enterprises for venues and facilities and advertising and marketing respectively.
Nkonyeni has been charged with racketeering, allegedly conspiring to commit corruption, fraud and money laundering with a potential cost to the provincial government of R144m.
She has been charged along with Uruguayan businessman Gaston Savoi and 20 others – including Economic Development MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu, ex-treasury head Sipho Shabalala and several former Health Department officials.
All the accused are out on bail and will appear in court again on January 20, 2012 for a high court trial date to be set.
In 2008 Nkonyeni was charged by the now-defunct Scorpions for unlawfully influencing the awarding of a R1.5m tender for the procurement of an ultrasound scanner, which could have been obtained for about R400 000.
It is also alleged she accepted a bribe in relation to the tender. The tender was awarded to Rowmoor Investment, a company allegedly owned by her former boyfriend, Lindelihle Mkhwanazi.
The charges were later withdrawn.
DA caucus leader Sizwe Mchunu said, “Corruption within the supply chain of provincial government has long been an issue.
“There’s already a cloud over Nkonyeni’s head, with her name linked to the ‘Three Amigos’ scam and now we have this gross abuse of the system.
“She has jeopardised the reputation of the Speaker’s office and the good name of the House. Yet, politically, she appears to have nine lives.”
Mchunu said given Nkonyeni’s history, her political survival was extraordinary. The party was now seeking the intervention of the public protector.
“We call on Mkhize and other members of the executive to suspend her pending the outcome of a full investigation and disciplinary hearing.”
IFP MP Roman Liptak said “it boggles the mind” how civil servants were allowed to leave the employ of government and be redeployed in other departments, despite serious allegations “hanging over their heads”.
“We have long voiced concern about the legislature being a safe haven for all the failures from other departments.
“What I find outrageous in Ndlela’s case is that he is the subject of an investigation by the Hawks and yet heads supply chain management.
A spokesman in the office of the Speaker, Wonder Hlongwa, said Nkonyeni had nothing to do with Ndlela’s appointment.
Hlongwa said neither the legislature nor Ndlela were aware of the Hawks investigation.
“However, as soon as he is approached by any law enforcement agency, he will be more than willing to co-operate with the investigation.”
Hlongwa said Ndlela had submitted a CV, like other candidates; he had been interviewed by a panel and emerged successful. He was appointed on the basis of his qualifications.
“It must also be remembered he was not fired by the Department of Health, but resigned. So there was nothing that made him an unsuitable candidate. We believe unsubstantiated claims should not jeopardise anyone’s right to participate in the labour market.
“Heading supply chain management does not necessarily mean he decides unilaterally from whom the legislature procures goods and services.”
Mkhize’s spokesman Ndabezinhle Sibiya said the premier had noted the DA’s calls, but referred queries to Nkonyeni’s office.
Hlongwa said Nkonyeni had “strongly dismissed allegations of profiteering from her office” and, to prove her innocence, would invite the public protector to investigate the allegations.
“Nkonyeni is tired of allegations that keep surfacing, then evaporate like morning dew months later. This is hurting her family and the people who are close to her.”
The allegations were politically motivated and designed to tarnish her image and “convict her in the court of public opinion”.
“Nkonyeni was charged with fraud and corruption in connection with the mammogram cancer scanning machine and those charges were withdrawn because of lack of evidence.”
The allegations emerged before in important political development in KZN, the deployment of ANC leaders following 2009 elections.
“She has also been accused of alleged corruption in the case of the so-called Three Amigos. These charges she has flatly denied and they will be contested in a court of law,” said Hlongwa. - Sunday Tribune