Company Named in State Capture Report Allegedly Receives R76m for Sub-standard Work, Says DA

• A company that was named in the State Capture Report allegedly received more dodgy tenders in Free State
• The Democratic Alliance (DA) plans to lodge evidence with law enforcement agencies against VNA Consulting
• The company received contracts worth R76 million from the Free State administration for sub-standard work

FREE STATE - The Democratic Alliance (DA) plans to lodge evidence with law enforcement agencies after it was uncovered that a company received contracts worth R76 million from the Free State administration.

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula responded to a written parliamentary question from the political party. He said according to the Free State Department of Police, Roads and Transport, VNA Consulting was selected to train Community Development Project (CDP) road contractors in the Free State.

Read also

Jacob Zuma is officially a free man, DSC Services confirms 15-month sentence is expired

The company was paid more than R32 million in the 2019 to 2020 financial year and more than R44 million in the 2020 to 2021 financial year. However, Mbalula said no expenditure was incurred for remuneration during 2021-2022 since no services were rendered. According to News24, the contract agreement lapsed last March.

DA MP George Michalakis said over R695 million was paid to CDP contractors for sub-standard work on Free State roads and was signed off by unqualified engineers employed by the provincial roads department. He said it was another example of how the African National Congress and its allies had captured the Free State.

According to Business Insider South Africa, VNA Consulting was named in the State Capture Report volume one. Money from the Free State provincial government landed in the pockets of those at the company in the form of a housing project. VNA Consulting then made payments to Premier Attraction, a company associated with Dudu Myeni's son Thalente Myeni, and to the Jacob Zuma Foundation.

Read also

Chief Justice Raymond Zondo allowed to make changes to State Capture Report, rules court

Chief Justice Raymond Zondo recommended that the individuals and entities needed to be investigated further to establish if there was a corrupt relationship between them in terms of state money being redirected to benefit parties, including the JZ Foundation.

Former SAA chairperson Dudu Myeni pleads guilty to naming protected witness, fined R120 000

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported former South African Airways chairperson Dudu Myeni pleaded guilty to contravening the rules of the State Capture Commission of Inquiry by naming one of the witnesses who had wished to remain anonymous.

Myeni appeared at the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, 27 July, where she was charged with obstruction of justice for naming a protected witness, who was known as Mr X.

Myeni named Mr X in public testimony after she was warned by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo not to do so, as the witness was supposed to remain anonymous.

Source: Briefly News