Gareth Mnisi defends WhatsApp chats before Madlanga Commission

The suspended Chief Financial Officer of Tshwane, Gareth Mnisi, told the Madlanga Commission on Monday that his offer of tender advice to a friend did not constitute a conflict of interest.

Mnisi is under scrutiny following the discovery of WhatsApp exchanges between himself and sergeant Fannie Nkosi.

The chats reveal that Nkosi requested assistance from Mnisi on behalf of Ngaphesheya, a company owned by Nkosi’s brother. While Mnisi admitted to providing pointers regarding a tender submission, he maintained his innocence by arguing that the bid was for a different government institution, not the Tshwane Municipality.

READ: Suspended Tshwane CFO grilled over external involvement in vendor dispute

Evidence brought before the commission suggests a more complex web of interactions. In one message, Mnisi referred Nkosi to the Tshwane Metro Police (TMPD) Deputy Chief, Umashi Dhlamini.

At the time of the exchange, Ngaphesheya had submitted a bid for a security tender specifically within the TMPD.

Mnisi, however, dismissed the significance of this timing, testifying that the submission deadline for the TMPD contract had long passed by the time he offered his counsel to Nkosi.

The proceedings grew tense during a cross-examination by evidence leader Matthew Chaskalson, who questioned the propriety of City officials acting as private consultants.

Matthew Chaskalson: “So your version is that the General (Dhlamini), yourself, and Sergeant Nkosi were freelancing on the side for a tender for another government institution?”

Gareth Mnisi: “Not freelancing, providing bid clarification on a tender they had been working on. He had asked me to look at the clarification on the document that was there. I am not freelancing because I'm not expecting any payment, I don’t want any payment. I am purely providing advice on something that they are interested in.”

MC: “So you are offering free tender advice to Sergeant Nkosi, and you are suggesting that he gets the assistance of Dhlamini, another employee of the City, to get more free advice on his tendering process?”

GM: “Of course, that’s exactly what I am saying.”

The defence offered by Mnisi and Nkosi faces a significant factual hurdle.

Sergeant Nkosi previously testified that his brother required help for a tender application at the "Matthews Phosa Municipality" in Mpumalanga.

However, Commission records note a glaring discrepancy; no municipality by that name exists within the borders of South Africa.

The Commission continues to probe the true nature of the advice and the specific tenders involved.