Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

3-minute read
01 July 2023 | 12:45 CAT

Image: OUTA

Civil organisation OUTA has laid criminal complaints against Andile Nongogo, the former CEO of the Services Sector Education and Training Authority and the current NSFAS CEO; they also laid charges against one of his former colleagues and two other individuals.

OUTA asked for a police investigation into the conduct of Nongogo, Duduzile Mwelase, a senior manager at SSETA, and Anania Baloyi and Ngwenya Baloyi, both from Five Stars Communications and Projects CC (Five Star), a SSETA service provider.

It is alleged that Five Star over-inflated their bid for the branding of a tender box by a whopping 8 000%, or at least R292 000.

Rudie Heyneke, portfolio manager at OUTA, says the organisation uncovered this irregular Five Star tender while investigating other dubious SSETA tenders. “Our investigations revealed irregularities with the Five Star tender, awarded for 19 months until 31 March 2018, for the design, development and supply of branded promotional items as and when required by SSETA.

On 27 January 2018, Five Star submitted a quote to SSETA for the branding of a tender box. The quote was only for branding an existing tender box (wooden cabinet) with the SSETA logo; the quote amounted to R302 010.

“During our investigation, we sought clarity from SSETA on several issues,” says Heyneke.

“We also requested proof from SSETA that the tender box was recorded in the SSETA asset register, and at which value.”

According to Heyneke, SSETA confirmed that the tender box was recorded in the asset register at R9 690.

OUTA requested a quote from a reputable print- and branding company in Gauteng for the branding of a cabinet similar to SSETA’s tender box and was quoted R3 731.75.

Heyneke says it is evident that Five Star was overcharging SSETA, inflating the price by at least R298 000 or 8 000% in this specific instance. “The SSETA CEO and employees who approved these quotes and payments were complicit in the looting of public funds,” he says.

Listen to the full interview on Radio Islam’s podcast.

https://soundcloud.com/radioislam/outa-lays-criminal-charges-against-the-former-ceo-of-sseta-and-current-nsfas-ceo?si=88db78f2c0e84db1889c6bb49dc044ec&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing