Several employees at the clinic upgrade project are alleged to have ties to the ANC, fuelling the DA’s corruption claims.
A clinic upgrade in Evaton is sparking complaints due to alleged conflicts of interest.
The Democratic Alliance asserted earlier this week that the man employed as the Community Liaison Officer (CLO) is also the director of one of the project’s subcontractors.
However, the individual concerned is demanding an apology, as he states that he is not the director of any company.
Politically connected employees
The DA based its accusation on information presented by the provincial government in a written response to a question submitted in the Gauteng legislature.
Multiple Gauteng health officials — including MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko — signed off on a response that listed the names of the companies and employees working at the Levai Mbatha Clinic upgrade project.
Also noted were the names of the CLO and the directors of the various subcontractors, with Sipho Ncwadi listed as both the CLO and a director of Lethole Trading.
The DA claimed job opportunities were being denied due to nepotism and potential corruption.
Ncwadi is an ANC branch secretary in Emfuleni, with other project employees allegedly being close family members of Emfuleni speaker Sibongile Soxuza.
“This matter represents a conflict of interest that violates the Municipal Financial Management Act,” DA Emfuleni North Constituency Head Kingsol Chabalala.
“The involvement of individuals with close ties to ANC officials raises questions about possible undue political influence in staffing and contracting, casting doubt on the fairness, transparency, and integrity of this tender,” he added.
Denials of wrongdoing
Ncwadi released his own rebuttal on Wednesday, demanding that the DA retract its statement.
“I am not the owner, director, or representative of Lethole Trading, nor of any subcontractor involved in this project,” Ncwadi stated.
“I have no financial interest in, or control over, the subcontracting process. I remain committed to carrying out my duties as CLO with integrity and transparency,” he added.
The 35-year-old Ncwadi told The Citizen that the DA’s accusations were “not logical” as the project existed for the community’s interest.
“Right now, the challenge we have is that there are 20 to 50 000 people reliant on that facility. We are working to increase service delivery,” Ncwadi said.
He added that any claims of disputes around contracts or work packages were “misinformation doing the rounds”.
Health department project
The Levai Mbatha Clinic upgrade project began in December 2024 and is ongoing; however, the DA has called for the termination of suspicious job allocations.
The Emfuleni municipality told The Citizen that the appointment of the CLO was not done by them, but by the provincial government.
The Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development also stated that the project was not being implemented under their umbrella.
The provincial health department stated that they took the allegations of nepotism seriously, and were committed to transparency and accountability.
Regarding the written response and Ncwadi’s alleged dual roles, the department explained that there had been an error in the information shared.
“Ncwadi is not the owner of the subcontractor involved as per the CIPC database,” Gauteng health spokesperson Motalatale Modiba told The Citizen.
“The subcontractor, Lethole Trading and Projects, is owned by Mr. Desmond Majake Letsika, selected through local SMME initiatives to support community development and ensure local participation.
“The department prioritises competitive bidding for tenders and actively engages local small and medium enterprises (SMMEs) to promote community involvement,” Modiba concluded.
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