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Minister of Water Affairs and Sanitation Nomvula Mokonyane is in hot water after Public Protector Thuli Madonsela asked the Auditor-General’s office to investigate her alleged “irregularities and improprieties” regarding the expansion of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project.
Mokonyane is also in trouble with her boss. President Jacob Zuma last week sent her a stern letter demanding information about her trip to Lesotho last October to discuss the water project.
The latest news comes in the week in which the ANC distanced itself from Mokonyane’s statements that the party spent R1 billion on its local government election campaign.
City Press can also reveal that three weeks ago Madonsela grilled Mokonyane for seven hours. Madonsela’s investigation centres on Mokonyane’s removal of Dr Zodwa Dlamini, South Africa’s chief delegate to the binational Lesotho Highlands Water Commission, established to oversee phase 2 of the project, as well as project delays and her relationship with some service providers.
City Press also learnt that Mokonyane was questioned by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) a month ago about how engineering consultants LTE Consulting and construction company Khato Civils received water and sanitation tenders worth more than R4 billion.
However, Mokonyane’s office and the SIU have denied this.
Madonsela’s spokesperson, Oupa Segalwe, confirmed the meeting had taken place and said a settlement had been reached with Dlamini.
“Regarding the allegations of irregularities and improprieties, the Public Protector has decided to refer these to the Auditor-General for an audit,” he said.
Mokonyane met Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili in Lesotho last October. Zuma wrote in his letter: “ . . . Mosisili has requested a written submission regarding the discussion and the issues raised during the meeting.
“I hereby request you to urgently provide us with a written submission on this matter for onward transmission to the prime minister,” Zuma’s office wrote.
According to the minutes of the Lesotho meeting, Mokonyane introduced Gauteng’s former infrastructure development MEC, Bheki Nkosi, as South Africa’s new chief delegate to the commission.
Nkosi replaced Dlamini, whom Mokonyane axed in October, without providing reasons. A number of commission delegates said Dlamini was allegedly an obstacle to Mokonyane’s efforts to “capture and hijack” the project, City Press reported three weeks ago.
In April, Zuma authorised the SIU to probe how LTE and Khato Civils had received more than R4 billion in projects.
The bosses of LTE, Khato Civils and Blackhead Consulting, which received a R500 million tender to build the Tzaneen Dam, are allegedly close friends of Mokonyane’s. These contracts did not all go out to tender.
An insider in Mokonyane’s office, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said this week: “Yes, the minister was questioned by the SIU early this month.”
Another source close to Mokonyane, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that she had been questioned, saying: “It is kept a secret and very few people know about it.”
However, SIU spokesperson Sefura Mongalo denied this.
“It is the practice of the SIU not to comment in detail concerning its investigations. However, at this stage of the ongoing investigation, the SIU can confirm that it has not interviewed or questioned Mokonyane.”
Mokonyane’s spokesperson, Mlimandlela Ndamase, also denied Mokonyane had been questioned by the SIU.
Regarding the letter from Zuma, he said: “The minister keeps the president appraised on a regular basis in relation to all matters within her executive responsibility. A report on the Lesotho Highlands Water Project phase 2 is in the process of being finalised for the presidency, in line with the standard reporting procedures within government.”
