uMkhonto Wesizwe Party MP Andile Mngxitama has stuck to his spears and called on President Cyril Ramaphosa and Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean MacPherson to suspend all contracts linked to businessman Jean Du Plessis and his company SKG Africa.
Mngxitama was the first to label the Eastern Cape-based businessman Markus Jooste of the DPWI”, referencing the former Steinhoff CEO’s disastrous fall from grace.
Speaking to The Star, Mngxitama said it was a legal principle that when someone is under investigation it would not be business as usual.
“In cooperation and in government if someone is under investigation they naturally do not sit in positions linked to the point or office of investigation.
“That individual does not tender for more work when they are under serious investigation or a serious cloud such as this. That must be the case as well for the rich and politically connected,” Mngxitama said.
Mngxitama further accused Du Plessis of corrupting the department through questionable contracts that have disproportionately benefited SKG Africa.
He claims that Du Plessis has been using smaller black companies as fronts in his multimillion-rand empire.
He alleges that senior managers within the DPWI are complicit in enabling Du Plessis to exploit the system, estimating that he generates over R500 million annually from dealings with the department.
On Friday another protest took place at the DPWI in Pretoria where protesters refused to leave the building until they saw confirmation that contracts linked to Du Plessis were suspended awaiting the signing of the proclamation by Ramaphosa for the SIU to investigate all SKG Africa tenders with the State.
The department closed its doors while protestants demanded that the Director General address them.
On previous questions from The Star, SKG Africa through their legal representatives, Sim Attorneys, labelled Mngxitama’s accusations as “baseless”, asserting that the claims are without merit.
Asked what Du Plessis thinks about the protests continually happening against him at the DPWI, Sim Attorneys said: “Our clients are of the view that the protests are clearly staged and contrived in which non-existent and faceless organisations are credited with championing a fabricated cause when in reality they are doing the bidding of our client’s competitors.”
Asked if Du Plessis has made any contact with Mngxitama on his allegations against himself and SKG Africa, they responded that whilst there has been no engagement with Mngxitama, he would amongst others, be cited in the proceedings which will be launched in the coming week.
“A comprehensive investigation will reveal what I’ve for months been telling South Africa. An investigation will reveal the department's grip. Until the investigation is complete, Jean Du Plessis’ contracts must be suspended” Mngxitama said.