MATATIELE CLLR FEEDS ON MUNICIPAL TENDERS
Allegations are saying he has benefited to more than R3m worth of municipal tenders although he is a councilor in the same municipality

A Matatiele Local Municipality Councillor is being investigated for allegedly benefitting from municipal projects. Cllr Mzwamandla Peter Nyembezi is accused of unlawfully doing business with the municipality and has gained, financially through various projects. A letter dated 26 June from the Eastern Cape MEC of Local Government and Traditional affairs Zolile Williams to the Mayor of Matatiele Local Municipality Cllr Sonwabile Mngenela said the allegations of corruption against Cllr Nyembezi were reported to the Public Service Commission by an anonymous complainant.
“The complaint is about procurement irregularities in awarding of the tender for the installation of electricity at Mkhemane and Phalane villages at ward 22 by the municipality. “Therefore Cogta team has been designed to conduct a fact finding on the allegations to establish the need for further probing should there need arise”, said MEC Williams.
MEC Williams said that he has been notified that the anonymous person alleges that the municipality irregularly appointed the Company of Cllr Nyemebezi who is the PR councillor of ward 19 in Matatiele as a sub contractor to Thathe Electrical which is a company that was awarded a tender for the installation of electricity in Mkhemane and Phalane Villages in ward 22 respectively.
“Anonymous further alleges that in October 2021, Thathe Electrical was instructed by the then municipal manager Gqamane to appoint Mzomhle trading owned by Cllr Mzwamandla Peter Nyemebezi as a sub contractor in order for the company to be awarded the tender. The caller also alleges that in October 2021 the tender was never advertised and this was done strategically in order to manipulate Thathe Electricals into appointing Mzomhle Trading.
The council took a resolution on Thursday (August 27) that the MEC’s investigating team must be allowed to conduct the Investigation. “I received a letter from the MEC for Cogta in the Eastern Cape requesting to investigate allegations of corruption against one of our councillors. As the Executive we have taken a decision to allow the MEC to conduct the investigation”, said Mayor Mngenela in a council meeting.
Meanwhile on the 26 of July DA MPL Dr Vicky Knoetze has written to MEC Williams drawing his attention to four more projects that Nyembezi has benefited from. “I wish to draw your attention to four additional projects 5 in total in terms of which Councillor Nyembezi has directly benefited through the construction procurement strategy of Matatiele Local Municipality, designed to facilitate the participation of Local SMMEs in infrastructure projects as sub contractor. Dr Knoetze said Mzomhle has benefited from an electrification project of 275 households at Hillside Manzi phase 2 by 30 June 2023 with amount of R1 776 359.48.
- Electrification of Tsepisong (Molweni 2) 530 houses by 30 June by Isolezwe Consulting Engineers and Mzomhle Trading worth R600 000.00
- Electrification of 50 households by 30 June Mzomhle Trading worth R374 886.60
- Electrification of 225 households of Masopha by 30 June, Mzomhle Trading worth R445 000.00
- Electrification of 80 households in Mapoti village by mzomhle Trading worth R320 000.00
The total value of the projects in terms of which Councillor Nyembezi has directly benefited through amounts to a staggering R3 521 246.08 and this is only in 2022 and 2023.
Responding to Dr Knoetze, MEC Williams said he has noted his letter and will be submitted to the 106 investigators accordingly. “The Councillor must be sent to the council’s rules or ethics committee which must therefore resolve to take the decision to suspend the councillor if the allegations are true. So I will send your letter to the Speaker of the council for her attention and action”, concluded MEC Williams.
Attempts to get Cllr Nyembezi ‘s side of the story failed after a number of phone calls and an sms to him could not be responded to.
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