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Sisa boss breaks her silence on tender Scam

QUESTIONS: Nomathemba Sithole, director of Sisa Consulting, denies any corrupt links. Pic. Mhlaba Memela. 17/04/08. © Sowetan.
QUESTIONS: Nomathemba Sithole, director of Sisa Consulting, denies any corrupt links. Pic. Mhlaba Memela. 17/04/08. © Sowetan.

Mhlaba Memela

Mhlaba Memela

A beneficiary of the controversial Busi Nyembezi's reign as head of the KwaZulu-Natal health department broke her silence yesterday.

Nomathemba Sithole, director of the controversial Sisa Consulting that was found to be co-owned by Nyembezi, had received millions of rands in contract - sparking a hasty investigation of corruption and fraud.

The company is alleged to have secured major contracts from the provincial health department owing to its relationship with the former HOD.

Nyembezi owned a company known as the Harambe Institute of Transformation before she was employed by the department in 2005.

It is alleged that Nyembezi influenced the department to award contracts to Sisa since her husband, Solomon Sibeko, owns 40percent of Sisa Consulting and has signing powers in the company.

Nyembezi was suspended last year and resigned a week ago.

She was suspended after allegations that she was linked to a R15million tender scam involving Sisa Consulting.

Recent reports indicate that an independent probe by legal firm Strauss Daly recommended that Premier S'bu Ndebele fire Nyembezi.

Sithole said she had not done anything shady. She said MEC Neliswa Nkonyeni introduced her to Nyembezi.

"I got involved in the consultancy in response to a request by Nkonyeni," Sithole said. "She pleaded with me to make myself available as Harambe office caretaker if Nyembezi agreed to apply for the post of HOD in the department.

"I was never asked to run Harambe but to take over its infrastructure and retain the current staff since I was to operate my consultancy on the premises."

Sithole said she had no relationship with Harambe. She said she formed a partnership with Sibeko, who had always worked on the premises of Harambe.

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