Tshwane mayor, Dr Nasiphi Moya, has placed the MMC for Corporate and Shared Services, Kholofelo Morodi of ActionSA, on special leave. The move has renewed focus on the Madlanga Commission and corruption investigations.

The temporary suspension of Morodi from her duties followed testimony before the commission suggesting that internal metro documents had been shared with a police officer allegedly involved in efforts to influence a tender.

“In the interest of protecting the integrity of the institution, while ensuring fairness to all parties, I have taken a decision to suspend the MMC for Corporate and Shared Services,” Moya said on March 19.

She stressed that the move was a precautionary measure to allow the metro to assess the allegations in a manner that is both lawful and procedurally fair.

“The City of Tshwane emphasises that this measure does not constitute a finding of wrongdoing, nor does it imply any presumption of guilt. It reflects a principled commitment to transparency, accountability, and ensuring that all allegations are subjected to appropriate scrutiny,” said Moya.

MMC for Community Safety Hannes Coetzee will act in this portfolio during the intervening period.

This step is intended to ensure continuity in the functioning of the Corporate and Shared Services portfolio, and to allow the investigative process to proceed without any perception of interference.

The events that led to the temporary suspension unfolded during testimony before the Madlanga Commission this week, where WhatsApp messages and other communications were presented as evidence.

These messages appeared to show interactions between Morodi, municipal officials, police members, members of political parties and individuals linked to private security interests.

At the centre of the testimony was Sergeant Fannie Nkosi, who is alleged to have acted as a middleman between senior police officials, municipal decision-makers and companies.

The Madlanga Commission itself was established to investigate allegations of criminality, political interference, and corruption within the criminal justice system and related state structures.

Its mandate includes examining whether members of the police, prosecutors, and other officials have colluded with criminal networks or abused their positions to influence investigations, prosecutions, and procurement processes. Over time, its scope has widened as witnesses have described networks of influence that stretch into municipal administrations and political party structures.

In the case of the metro, testimony suggested that a multimillion-rand security tender linked to the TMPD may have been the subject of co-ordinated efforts by various actors to influence its specifications and eventual award.

Moya indicated that the metro would co-operate fully with the commission and would formally request access to any information in its possession relating to the allegations.

This step is intended to ensure that the metro’s internal investigation is informed by the same evidence being considered by the commission. Nkosi has emerged as a central figure in commission testimonies, with evidence suggesting he maintained close personal and professional relationships with individuals in structures of the metro.

During the hearings, WhatsApp messages attributed to Nkosi were presented, allegedly showing him communicating with Morodi and senior officials in the metro and discussing matters related to municipal tenders.

The metro’s CFO, Gareth Mnisi, was also drawn into the spotlight through Nkosi’s testimony, particularly because the WhatsApp communications presented as evidence suggested a longstanding personal friendship between the two men during the period when Mnisi oversaw the awarding of key municipal tenders.

The commission is examining whether these relationships created opportunities for undue influence.

Political reactions to Morodi’s special leave suspension have reflected the complex dynamics within the metro’s coalition government.

ActionSA chairperson Michael Beaumont welcomed the mayor’s decision, describing it as a necessary step to uphold the credibility of the metro’s administration.

He said his party had already initiated its own internal investigation into any members implicated by the testimony and would support efforts to establish the full truth.

“ActionSA welcomes the decisive action taken by Dr Nasiphi Moya to suspend MMC Kholofelo Morodi, pending the outcome of a full investigation into the concerning allegations arising from the Madlanga Commission,” Beaumont said.

He added that ActionSA would “always run towards accountability, not away from it,” and pledged that the party would provide ongoing updates to the public as its internal processes unfolded.

“ActionSA notes with concern the allegations of alleged WhatsApps between Nkosi and Mnisi as well as claims that individuals believed to be representing ActionSA participated in discussions relating to tenders,” said Beaumont.

DA Caucus leader in Tshwane, Cilliers Brink, offered a more critical perspective, saying the suspension was justified depending on investigations, but questioned why other officials had not yet been subjected to similar scrutiny.

He said he was perplexed that Deputy Mayor Eugene Modise had not been investigated for allegedly failing to declare interests in the awarding and applications of security tenders. This suggests that political considerations within the coalition might be influencing the pace and scope of accountability measures.

According to Brink, the evidence indicated that the recent controversy discussed in the Council around the position of the CFO was less about governance principles and more about access to tenders and the financial benefits associated with them.

“These are fresh allegations against Mnisi, entirely separate from those previously raised by the ANC, and they justify a separate, independent investigation.”

Mnisi has come under fire from the regional ANC in February, accusing him of failing to submit the annual financial statements for the 2023/24 financial year on time, in contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA).

The Freedom Front Plus (FF+) has also expressed concern about the implications of the testimony before the Madlanga Commission.

FF+ councillor Grandi Theunissen said the evidence presented before the commission pointed to attempts to manipulate the procurement process through lists of preferred companies and co-ordinated communication between political representatives and officials.

“The FF+ views the decision to place mayoral committee member Kholofelo Morodi of ActionSA on special leave with deep concern. Testimony before the Madlanga Commission on March 18 indicates a systemic breakdown of integrity in procurement processes that cannot be ignored.

“The FF+ views this step as the beginning of exposing other irregularities under Morodi’s leadership. There is a clear history of poor judgement by Morodi,” said Theunissen.

He explained that the FF+ has already submitted an urgent motion to the Speaker to protect the integrity of the city’s procurement processes by having a thorough independent investigation conducted.

Rekord approached Morodi for comment which will be added here as soon as it is received. The Tshwane metro was also approached and had yet to provide comment.

*Please note this article has been amended

Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

Do you have more information about the story?

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok or WhatsApp Channel