DA KZN SPOKESPERSON ON CO-OPERATIVE GOVERNANCE

THE Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal has requested an urgent assurance from provincial Co-operative Governance MEC, Nomusa Dube, that all housing tenders awarded to Durban business tycoon, Shauwn Mpisane, will be delved into as part of the current forensic investigation into the affairs of the Ethekwini Municipality (see Mercury report).

The appeal, made by DA KZN C-operative Governance spokesperson, George Mari, comes after it was revealed yesterday that Mpisane, the owner of Zikhulise Cleaning, Maintenace and Transport CC has a former 2004/2005 conviction relating to tax fraud and was also disqualified from running a business. 

"Shauwn Mpisane should never have been allowed to submit tenders to council and should certainly never have been awarded any contracts.  What we now need to establish is why there was this massive oversight on the part of municipal officials whose task it is to go through contractors' credentials with a fine-tooth comb.

The forensic investigation team must also focus on the number of municipal housing contracts awarded to Zikhulise, or any other company with which Mpisane has ties, since 2005, as well as the collective worth of these contracts.  Strong action needs to be taken and the DA appeals to the MEC to ensure that a full and proper audit is conducted in this area."

Mari also slammed the excuse that Mpisane was new to business and was, at the time, unaware of her tax error.  "It is unacceptable that a person running a business of this magnitude should be unaware of tax procedures - a company dealing with this amount of money should have its own tax consultant.  The excuses from Shauwn Mpisane and her legal team do not wash."

Statement issued by George Mari, MPP, DA KZN Spokesperson for Co-operative Governance, June 3 2011

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