Stella says R2.1bn tender scandal allegations a media smear campaign

Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams has dismissed allegations in media reports that she and some of her family members interfered in the procurement processes at the South African Post Office (Sapo).

But, the minister also wants the ANC to make a pronouncement on several of the accusations she faces, including those emanating from disgruntled board chair Colleen Makhubele who accused Ndabeni-Abrahams of abusing her powers by apparently demoting the executive.

Ndabeni-Abrahams on Tuesday briefed the media on the material developments in her department’s portfolio.

The minister said it was “time that the public hears an honest account directly from myself” on media reports that she allegedly flouted procurement processes at Sapo in July by introducing a businessman and chairperson of private equity firm, Convergence Partners’ Andile Ngcaba, to the post office’s executives in an alleged bid to partner on a highly lucrative R2.1 billion e-commerce platform.

Speaking in the minister’s defence, Sapo board member Tia van der Sandt said that no such amount had ever been attached to a tender for an e-commerce contract at the Post Office.

Independent Media ‘campaign’

Van der Sandt and Ndabeni-Abrahams accused the author of this, and other scandals involving the beleaguered minister – Independent Media’s Special Investigations Unit – of being unethical in its reporting.

She said as an activist and politician, she had no doubt that her detractors were behind an apparent media campaign to tarnish her image and she was neither surprised nor concerned in her personal capacity about the accusations. She was only concerned about the state of ethics in media and journalism.

Ndabeni-Abrahams said she supports the role the media plays in the country’s society and that she is willing to be held to account, adding however, that a mandate as crucial as that of the media, comes with responsibilities.

The minister said the media should act and report ethically and responsibly, adding that the allegations reported about are “frivolous” and “baseless” and are a “clear attack” which is not only “malicious” and “defamatory” but “systematic” as well.

Ndabeni-Abrahams further said the allegations were “unfounded” and “devoid of any truth”.

The minister also took to the podium to address the recent spectre of her WhatsApp account being hacked, leaving her vulnerable to personal information leaks. The minister quipped that the only notable quirk in her messages were “naughty” exchanges between herself and her husband.

Post Office

Ndabeni-Abrahams said her engagements with the Post Office board had been, and continue to be, within the parameters of the law and that what she discusses with the board is within her legal purview.

“I state firmly that in these engagements we never discuss the appointment of service providers,” Ndabeni-Abrahams said, adding that it was disappointing that the media house that had reported on the allegations had “repeatedly” and “blatantly” ignored several responses dismissing these allegations.

The Post Office, Post Bank and her department have responded in writing refuting the allegations as being “false” and “without any merit”, Ndabeni-Abrahams said.

The minister said she asked the chair of the Post Office to be present at the briefing, as well as her deputy director-general, to set the record straight.

In addition, Ndabeni-Abrahams has requested to appear before the governing party’s integrity commission as she has been deployed to her position by the ANC.

“We shouldn’t be gossiping about corruption,” Ndabeni-Abrahams said, urging the media to thoroughly check the information that is given to them and give fair and balanced reporting.

Ndabeni-Abrahams said the “baseless accusations” made against her are nothing new as she is an experienced politician, activist and public figure.

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