Day: June 7, 2022

Hamilton Ndlovu and associated companies ordered to pay back R158 million

Nineteen (19) personal protective equipment (PPE) tenders amounting to R172 million awarded by the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) to Johannesburg businessman Hamilton Ndlovu and associated companies have been declared invalid and unlawful.

On Tuesday 07 June 2022, the Special Tribunal set aside the contracts and ordered that Mr. Ndlovu and associated companies pay back R158 millions with interest.

Furthermore, the Special Tribunal ordered that frozen properties and funds held by Mr. Ndlovu, Zaisan Kaihatsu and Bugatti Security Services and Projects to the value of R42 million be forfeited to the state.

The Special Tribunal urged NHLS to invoke section 15 of the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act to list the Bugatti Security Services and Projects, Hamiltonn Ndlovu Holdings, Hamiltonn Projects CC, Mok Plus One PTY LTD, Abompetha PTY LTD, Feliham PTY LTD and Kgodumo Mokone Trading Enterprise PTY LTD, their directors, shareholders and Luiborn Dorn Ndlovu in his capacity as a director in the Joritans Logistics PTY LTD on the database of restricted suppliers.

The SIU investigated corruption allegations and the circumstances in which eight companies directly and indirectly linked to Mr. Ndlovu had obtained contracts worth a total of R172 742 275 for PPE from the NHLS.

The SIU was, in terms of Proclamation R.23 of 2020, directed by President Cyril Ramaphosa to investigate allegations of corruption, malpractice, maladministration and irregularities in the procurement of goods and services during the COVID-19 state of disaster.

The SIU investigation established that the contracts were obtained by abusing the emergency procurement procedures that were adopted by the NHLS in order to respond to the COVID-19 disaster during the first half of 2020.

Eight (8) companies obtained contracts to supply PPE to the NHLS during this period, which were all linked to Mr. Ndlovu. He was the controlling mind of all the front companies and the direct and indirect beneficiary of the funds flowing to them from the payments made by the NHLS.

The links and interrelationships between the front companies and the fact that they were all controlled by Mr. Ndlovu were not disclosed to the NHLS. The companies operated jointly as part of an unlawful scheme directed by Mr. Ndlovu and under the pretense that they were independent entities. Instead of operating at arm’s length and in competition with each other to supply PPE to the NHLS at the best available prices, the companies were a front whereby Mr. Ndlovu could obtain multiple contracts from the NHLS at excessive prices without revealing his involvement in each of them.

The front companies under the control of Mr. Ndlovu exploited the emergency procurement process by supplying PPE to the NHLS at excessive prices and failed to deliver the agreed quantities of PPE.

The SIU obtained and analysed the bank statements of the front companies and of Mr. Ndlovu and of other companies and individuals linked to him. The analysis showed that, with the exception of an amount of about R15m that appears to have been used for the purchase of PPE, the funds received from the NHLS were not used to obtain supplies of PPE in order to deliver upon the contracts to the NHLS. Instead, the vast majority of the funds (87.87%) flowed to Mr. Ndlovu for his own use.

The SIU welcomes the order of the Special Tribunal. This is a continuation of the implementation of the SIU investigation outcomes and consequence management to recover assets and financial losses suffered by State institutions and/or to prevent further losses.

Source: Government of South Africa

Repairs to internal roads will ensure the safe conveyance of stock within the harbour.

This project is a prime example of the importance of infrastructure development to spur on economic activity and much needed job creation for our citizens.

The removal of sunken vessels programme was been completed with a total of 29 vessels removed at various harbours, 15 of those vessels were removed at the Hout Bay Harbour.

DPWI grasped at the opportunity at the Hout Bay harbour removal of sunken vessels project which allowed 9 informal divers (many which were former poachers) including 1 woman being trained as Class 3 Commercial Divers to assist with the work for the Hout Bay Harbour removal of sunken vessels project. The removal of sunken vessels project in Hout Bay alone created a total of 110 jobs and empowered 11 SMMEs to the value of approximately R4,5 million.

The development of harbours will allow coastal communities access to the sea as well as an opportunity to grow the oceans economy in turn creating jobs and growing these coastal towns that were deprived of proper marine infrastructure for many years. This project has brought immense benefit in terms of job creation and now that the project has been completed, we hope it will increase investment and enable greater economic activity, for surrounding communities and the fishing industry value chain.

We are making a plea to all surrounding communities to see these upgraded harbours as their harbours and to work with the department to ensure the harbours are protected from vandalism and that this critical infrastructure benefits the broader community and to grow the oceans economy.

Source: Government of South Africa

Food safety is everyone’s business

7 June 2022 is World Food Safety Day.

This year’s slogan, Food Safety is everyone’s business, focuses on a multi-sectoral approach to food safety.

The Western Cape Department of Agriculture takes its food safety mandate very seriously.

Our team of professionals in Veterinary Services regularly inspects and audits the 62 registered abattoirs in the province to ensure that only safe meat is produced and placed on the market.

Inspected and approved meat from legally registered abattoirs in the province is officially authenticated with a round, “PASSED”, approval stamp.

Only approved and safe carcasses bear this mark which contains the number incorporated in the approval stamp indicating the specific abattoir of origin.

The abattoir owner is legally obligated to sell only safe meat to consumers. For this reason, the final liability with safe meat lies with the abattoir owner.

Western Cape Department of Agriculture’s Veterinary Public Health team remains vigilant to ensure the health of all consumers in the Western Cape.

We are proud of the food safety standards set by the industry role players and the self-regulatory instruments and food quality control systems in place.

Through our various sister departments, the Western Cape Government daily monitor health and safety standards in the food value chain.

The government also works closely with municipalities and the industry roleplayers to promote food safety standards through regulatory requirements, standard operating procedures, site visits by health inspectors and state veterinarians,

The objectives of World Food Safety Day align with the Western Cape Government’s three strategic priorities: economic growth and jobs, safety and well-being, and dignity.

Preventing, detecting, and managing foodborne risks contribute to food safety, human health, economic prosperity, agriculture, market access, tourism, and sustainable development.

Each role player in the food chain, including the producer on the farm level, primary and secondary processors, wholesalers and retailers, and the end-user, contributes to the outcome of safe food.

Consumers should contact the Office of the Consumer Protector by email at [email protected](link sends e-mail) or call 0800 007 081 to learn more about their rights.

Source: Government of South Africa

DESTEA beefs up its communications machinery as it gears towards sustainable economic development

The Free State Department of Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism & Environmental Affairs (DESTEA) wishes to inform members of the Fourth Estate that, including all internal and external stakeholders that as of June 10, 2022, approval has been granted for Mr. Mojalefa Mphapang to be transferred from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD). Mr Mphapang joins the team of hardworking communicators as of June 01, 2022. He will serve the Department as Deputy Director: Strategic Communication.

As the Free State Provincial Government intensifies its efforts to communicate the good work delivered daily through various efforts, the Department of Economic, Small Business, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (DESTEA) also has a mandate to upscale Communications on key priorities and programmes to accelerate the pedal of service delivery. It is for this reason that Communications is an important tool of service delivery as it forges partnerships in highlights of the 2019—2024 electoral mandate.

Mr. Mphapang has extensive experience as a communicator in the Public Service. He served as a Communications Officer in the Free State Department of Health from 2004 until 2008. He was then appointed as an Assistant Director for Communications Services at the Free State Provincial Treasury, and worked in that position from 2008 until 2013. He later moved to the Northern Cape Provincial Treasury where he served as the Head of Communications for the period of three years, 2013 until 2015. In 2015, he made his return to the Free State as Communications Manager in the Department Agriculture and Rural Development and Rural Development.

Through its Communications unit, the DESTEA can reinforce the concept of a caring Government that listens to the people by addressing what needs to be communicated to whom, when, how and for what reasons.

MEC Makalo Mohale indicated said: “I wish to welcome Mr. Mphapang to this Department. His qualifications, experience, insight and capabilities in driving the Communications functions within different compartments of Government Communications and how the system operates will bring a vibe to enhance communication activities in the Department.

We expect him together with Communication team to effectively continue communicating the work of the Department as we undertake the journey of economic reconstruction, recovery as well as rebuilding the Free State we want.”

Issued by the Communications Unit. Free State Department of Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs.

Source: Government of South Africa