Note to Editors: Please note Sakhile Mngadi MPL soundbites in English and isiZulu
The DA in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is alarmed by new revelations, allegedly linking Deputy Minister Jomo Sibiya to companies flagged as beneficiaries, in the unfolding National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) corruption scandal.
The rot in this process runs deep. The DA therefore demands;
• The dissolution and reconstitution of the Bid Adjudication Committee (BAC), with all current members recused and investigated for possible collusion
• A full-scale forensic audit led jointly by KZN’s Office of the Premier (OTP), we will further request that the public protector also investigates
• A report on all politically connected individuals, including Deputy Minister Sibiya and other officials, who may have benefited from the current contract cycle and;
• The publication of beneficiary company lists, including directors, tax status and CIPC registration confirmation.
Sesiphambili Trading was registered by the Deputy Minister in 2008 and is currently under the directorship of his wife, Simphiwe Sibiya. This places the Deputy Minister in the same boat as KZN Education MEC, Sipho Hlomuka.
Evidence now suggests that a company registered under the Deputy Minister’s wife’s name is among those irregularly appointed as KZN NSNP service providers.
The information comes amid widespread reports of politically connected ANC cadres and individuals benefiting from inflated and irregular contracts – a clear sign of systemic and coordinated looting of a programme meant to feed our poorest learners.
This crisis can no longer be treated as an administrative mishap. It is organised corruption and it is robbing hungry children of their constitutional right to basic nutrition. We reiterate our call for Provincial Treasury to upscale its investigation into this matter and release its findings for further forensic investigations.
In its current form, KZN’s NSNP procurement process violates several legal and regulatory frameworks, all of which is currently in question. The DA has also established that several of the companies shortlisted or scheduled for service under KZN’s NSNP;
• Do not have valid (MAA) numbers – meaning they are incorrectly registered on the Central Supplier Database (CSD) and ineligible
• Are in the process of de-registration from the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) and;
• Are non-compliant with SARS tax requirements, making them ineligible for state tenders under National Treasury regulations.
Our province’s schoolchildren are not commodities. Their daily meals cannot be used to enrich the politically connected while classrooms fall into ruin and teacher morale plummets. This is not just theft – it is moral bankruptcy.
As a member of KZN’s Government of Provincial Unity (PU), the DA is committed to ensuring that our province’s people receive the answers and accountability they deserve.