President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Cabinet has once again been embroiled in alleged corrupt activities and a sex scandal that has seemed to be rife in various government departments in recent years.
Department of Home Affairs’ Deputy Director Counter Corruption & Security, Eric Nendauni has been accused of corruption activities.
Nendauni is based at the head office of Home Affairs in Pretoria.
Various whistle-blowers have approached The Star to expose what they called corruption after they attempted to reach out to Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and other top officials without success.
The Star is in possession of two emails from whistle-blowers attempting to alert Motsoaledi, deputy director-general: counter corruption & security services advocate Connie Moitse, and other senior officials.
According to the sources, Moitse was aware of Nendauni’s alleged activities, they went as far as labelling him as her runner.
The sources also alleged that Moitse was powerful and enjoyed protection from Motsoaledi.
“It is alleged that Nendauni collects bribe money to a tune of R20 000 from his colleagues from permitting and ID sections, to overlook their illegal issuing of ID and permits to foreign nationals instead of charging them, he takes money to protect their illegal activities,” said the whistle-blower.
It is alleged that Nendauni had cases allocated to him to investigate issuing (of) permits to foreign nationals without proper procedures and documentation. He decided to take R20 000 from each colleague and cases were closed without charging them.
“Money was deposited to one of his child’s accounts. He also has a signatory power at a known bank, which is pretending to be a church’s donation account but in reality it is his but using another person’s name. This account in essence is used to launder money from foreign nationals and his corrupt activities,” said the whistle-blower in the email.
Motsoaledi’s spokesperson Siyabulela Qoza confirmed that they were aware of the corruption allegations against Nendauni.
“We will very much welcome the official who gave Eric Nendauni R20 000 to come forward with credible information. We believe it is a national and patriotic duty for him or her to do so,” said Qoza.
Qoza said if indeed the money was deposited into Nendaune’s kid account, they would like to be furnished with evidence.
The whistle-blower told The Star that on September 10, Nendauni allegedly without authorisation, took a state vehicle which is a white Polo Sedan KG 64 WG GP to a tavern.
“Nendauni was seen drinking alcohol and apparently left with two females. Apparently he did not pay the females money that was due to them. He was later found abandoned, the car keys, R7800, petrol car were missing. It is alleged that the females stole the money and other belongings before abandoning him. He was rescued after Moitse instructed a colleague by the name of Khomotso Mosehla to take him to hospital. Nendauni opened a case of theft at Akasia Police Station,” said the source.
Gauteng Provincial Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo confirmed to The Star that a case was opened.
“Police can confirm that a case of theft was opened at Akasia Police Station,” Masondo said.
The whistle-blower alleged that when Nendauni returned to work, he went to the transport department and was given spare keys to the state vehicle.
“As far as we know, Nendauni was found by the police through a tracking device in his car. And they took him to hospital. We are aware of a case of hijacking and theft that was opened by Nendauni. It was his private car,” Qoza said.
He said it was not unusual for DHA to receive corruption allegations against officials, even the most senior ones, from whistle-blowers.
“We take every corruption allegation seriously and we investigate them, regardless of who is involved. We can equally confirm that allegations against Nendauni were investigated and no wrongdoing was found against him,” Qoza said.
According to a source this was not a first incident involving the state car; he alleged that in May this year, Nendauni travelled to Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, and when he returned, he was allegedly under the influence of alcohol, bumped another vehicle but failed to report the accident to the department.
“He took the state vehicle to a private panelbeater and the car was only paid and returned in July this year. Again Moitse was aware of this but she did not discipline Nendauni,” said the source.
The whistle-blower said he reported the matter to the Hawks and an insider told him that indeed they were investigating, however until today, he said he suspects that the case was crushed.
“We are aware that when the whistle-blower sent us the allegation, he or she also copied the Hawks. Whether or not they are investigating, we won’t know because it is not the policy of the Hawks to inform departments when they are investigating their employees,” Qoza said.
Nendauni is further accused of allegedly appointing his preferred candidates when filling posts for the counter corruption section.
The whistle-blower complained about a man called Ponnen Veernamy, who was a warrant officer in Hawks, who bragged about knowing Nendauni and that he allegedly gave him queens and answers ahead of the interviews.
Qoza said Motsoaledi dismissed any allegations of having an affair with the DDG.
“The minister rejects with the contempt it deserves the allegation that he has an affair with Moitse, who is a married woman in her own right, as is the minister,” Qoza said
The scandals include Ramaphosa himself, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, Minerals and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe and Deputy Minister of State Security Zizi Kodwa.
Ramaphosa was rocked by revelations of a string of alleged extramarital affairs where explicit corresponding emails shared between him and his lover were exposed by Independent Media in recent years. It was alleged that he used state resources to feed his sexual appetite.
Recently, Godongwana was accused of sexually assaulting a female masseurs while on holiday in Skukuza. A case was opened but later allegedly dropped.
Mantashe’s sex escapades include spicy WhatsApp exchanges allegedly between him and a 23-year-old student who was allegedly also involved with former finance minister Tito Mboweni in a love triangle.
Kodwa also faced a sex accusation when his alleged victim accused him of drugging and raping her at Michaelangelo Hotel in 2018.
ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za