Minister in the Presidency in charge of state security Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.
President Cyril Ramaphosa.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet has been rocked by another scandal in less than two months as the Minister in the Presidency in charge of state security Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has been told to step down by the opposition parties following revelation that a Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation into her conduct as municipal manager of Ba-Phalaborwa local municipality, involving R2.5-million in tender corruption, is ready for prosecution.
Ramaphosa’s strong ally Ntshavheni is reportedly being investigated for what a judge called a “repugnant and devastating” tender awarded during her term as municipal manager of the Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality, her job before being promoted to become the Minister in Presidency.
Claims by senior managers in Ba-Phalaborwa implicating Ntshavheni, Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke made scathing findings against her management of the local municipality's finances during her tenure.
Ntshavheni’s predecessor Zizi Kodwa adhered to step aside rule of the ANC following Zondo Commission recommendation and he was arrested by the Hawks following allegations that he received R1.6 million bribes. In 2016, contracts worth R460 million were given by the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality to EOH Holdings to facilitate the upgrade of the metro's software systems. In October 2024, Kodwa applied for the corruption charges against him to be withdrawn, claiming that the state has a weak case. Zizi Kodwa's charges were dropped, and he was released.
DA spokesperson on State Security Dianne Kohler Barnard said Ramaphosa must relieve Ntshavheni of her duties and also called on the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to immediately proceed with their criminal prosecution of Ntshavheni.
Kohler Barnard said: “She cannot serve as Minister in this portfolio (or any), while under such a serious criminal investigation. As the Democratic Alliance, we repeat: A Cabinet Minister criminally investigated for corruption should not serve in Cabinet.”
ActionSA Parliamentary leader Athol Trollip also added his voice to the chorus that Ntshavheni must be axed by President Ramaphosa. “She joined a growing list of Ramaphosa’s confidants and Ministers under criminal investigation for fraud and corruption, highlighting a troubling pattern of the President’s failure to exercise due diligence when appointing individuals to critical positions within his government. Ntshavheni’s impending run-in with the NPA creates a clear conflict owing to her stewardship of the State Security Agency, necessitating that she be suspended,” Trollip said.
Earlier, Ramaphosa has been lambasted for shielding the embattled controversial Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Thembi Simelane and moving her to the Human Settlements Ministry following his recent suspicious Cabinet reshuffle.
Political parties expressed their discontentment after Ramaphosa announced immediate national executive changes in December last year. They said if the Minister Simelane was deemed no longer fit to serve as Minister of Justice due to allegations of potential corruption and questionable sources of wealth beyond her declared earnings, then surely the President cannot now expect the public to believe that she is perfectly suited to lead a critically important portfolio like Human Settlements, overseeing billions of Rands.
Ramaphosa swapped Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi with Simelane despite calls for her removal following her VBS scandal loan.
Minister Simelane failed to convince Parliament’s Justice Committee following reports that she received a R575 600 loan from the Gundo Wealth Solutions in 2016 to purchase a coffee shop in Sandton during her tenure as the Executive Mayor of Polokwane Municipality.
The loan was paid directly to the owner of a coffee shop in Sandton, which Simelane was purchasing, in late 2016. Gundo Wealth Solutions is owned by Rallion Razwinane who is directly linked to the illegitimate investments of municipal funds into the now non-operational VBS Mutual Bank.
Razwinane is currently on trial for fraud, corruption, and money laundering following his role as a commission agent connecting municipalities which included Polokwane Municipality, with the VBS.
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