Times Of Swaziland: SUPPLIER STORMS  PS’S OFFICE OVER QUESTIONABLE  E5.4M TENDER

SUPPLIER STORMS  PS’S OFFICE OVER QUESTIONABLE  E5.4M TENDER
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Mduduzi Magagula on 13/10/2024 17:28:00


MBABANE –A contentious issue has risen in the Ministry of Education and
Training, where a supplier delivered goods to government without following the
established procurement process.
The Acting Principal Secretary (PS) in the ministry, Nanikie Mnisi, has refused
to make payment of over E5.4 million for two marquee tents supplied on August
16, 2024, until authorised by the Attorney General’s Office. This has led to a
serious confrontation between Mnisi and the supplier, Lungile Ndzimandze of Mcex
Investments. The two have had verbal confrontations publicly and the situation
between them has taken a dramatic turn. Doors are being banged, and ministry
security has even gotten involved.
Demanded
A dramatic scene unfolded in Mnisi’s office at the interministerial building
last Tuesday, when  the supplier, Ndzimandze suddenly stormed in, disrupting a
meeting and demanded her money. The tension escalated to a point where Mnisi had
to call in security to have Ndzimandze removed, bringing the meeting to an
abrupt halt. This intense confrontation was witnessed by a reporter
investigating the same issue within the ministry. Meanwhile, Ndzimandze’s
supply of goods without the required government documents has turned the
ministry upside down, as it has also opened up the issue of how these tenders
are being given to companies.
Ndzimandze supplied these goods without going through the proper government
procurement process, which clearly outlines that suppliers must tender for goods
and deliver according to the order placed. Instead, Ndzimandze alleged that she
was invited through a letter by the ministry to supply the two marquees worth
E5.4million. She, however, did not divulge who signed the invitation letter and
did not provide it to this publication. In an interview, Acting PS Nanikie
Mnisi, said she is having difficulty honouring Ndzimandze’s company invoice
because she believes the government procurement process was not followed, and
this raised concerns about the integrity of the procurement process for the
marquees.
Worth noting is that  when this procurement was done the principal secretary at
the time was Bheki Gama, who is currently on sick leave. As the Acting PS, Mnisi
says she is steadfast in her commitment to upholding the law and ensuring
transparency in government transactions. Her gripe stems from the fact that
Ndzimandze does not have a the government order and the goods supplied were not
sourced through the tendering process.consequences
“She has a document signed by PS  Bheki Gama on the goods and not a government
order, yet the government procurement process clearly outlines that suppliers
must tender for goods and deliver according to the order placed. Deviations from
this process can lead to serious consequences,” she said in an interview. The
Times SUNDAY has seen a contract document on the goods, which Ndzimandze is
using as the basis of supplying the goods.The document, titled Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) was allegedly signed by Gama, the substantive PS.
Gama is currently on sick leave, which has kept him at home for a lengthy period
of time.
In the MoU, Gama did not use a pen to sign it off but instead allegedly apexed
his thumb print for the signature. Information sourced from the ministry alleged
that Gama used the thumb print because of his illness, which allegedly affected
his handwriting. However, this could not be verified as this publication could
not get hold of PS Gama or his family.