By Staff Reporter
TFM Holdings executive chairman Mcebisi Mlonzi says he is prepared to meet Sylvia Masebo in court, adding that he voluntarily reported to the ACC requests made to him for R2 million and a Mercedes Benz for the purported sponsorship of Masebo’s son’s wedding.
And Mlonzi has told Daily Revelation that he has got stored information of the conversations he has been having with Mbachi Nkwazi, whom he said was introduced to him by Health minister Masebo as her contact when they met at her residence in Lusaka.
Speaking with Daily Revelation, Mlonzi narrated how the $100 million deal to construct hospitals started under the PF administration, something he said was carried on by the UPND administration, with company having even received a call that there was confirmation from the treasury that the funding was available and the contract could be signed between the government and TFM.
He said before he signed the contract he courteously called Mbachi as it was through that channel through which the process kicked off with the new administration.
“Now during that time just when the signing of the contract is done Mbachi tells me look there is a wedding for the minister’s son, now they wanted R2 million for the wedding,” Mlonzi said, but that he told Mbachi that his structure could not accommodate such things.
He said he took the matter to his colleagues in the system to look into the matter and that the whole contract was going to be cancelled if that were not done.
“They told me look let’s take it to review. They took to outside attorneys, they said look just write a friendly letter to your contacts and say look because we don’t know the prevailing issues in Zambia, in South Africa if something like this happens you should report it. Write a note to them that there was something so that you don’t get caught up. Then I reported it,” he said.
Mlonzi said after he had reported the matter, they received a call from the Ministry of Health asking them to provide their profile and who they were, but that they laughed at the request as they have supplied medical equipment to Zambia for over 30 years.
He said he was told that the minister said she did not know TFM and has never even met them, saying afterwards they received a letter from dismissed Health permanent secretary Dr Magwende telling them of the intention to cancel the contract, amid TFM arguments on which exact clause they were referring to to cancel the contact as the company had provided guarantees, work performance bonds, and had done everything through the banks and were compliant in terms of the contract.
Mlonzi said the argument was that the government wanted to cancel because priorities had changed as the new government was looking at things differently from the previous government, but that TFM did not still understand as they even had to redesign everything at their cost before signing the contract.
He said they were later referred to the Attorney General whom they wrote to through their lawyers but that nobody has answered them from the time they started writing, eight letters he said, in total.
Mlonzi said following through on that, Mbachi sent him a WhatsApp message saying “my brother don’t blame anybody. It’s your own call what is happening.”
Asked on information that his company had furnished State House with a video showing him meeting Masebo, Mlonzi said since the matter was going to court, he had been advised not to comment on certain information and therefore would not answer that question.
But asked if he was ready to travel to Zambia and face Masebo in court over his claims, Mlonzi said he was 100 percent prepared at anytime, saying he had reported all the information he was divulging now and the other confidential information to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) voluntarily.
He said they reported the matter the moment it happened without being asked by ACC, and that if they did that they would back their assertions.
He claimed he had met Mbachi both in Zambia and South Africa, insisting that the first time he met Mbachi was through Masebo at her residence, saying Diangamo was there when Masebo allegedly told him to deal with Mbachi.
“There was a further demand. This R2 million was just a start. This was just for the wedding. There was a further R5 million. I said no, this is madness. It’s really really madness,” Mlonzi said, insisting that he had correspondence with him via WhatsApp even giving instructions. “That’s why I was saying that I am surprised when the UPND spokesperson says we don’t have proof.”
Contacted for his reaction, Mbachi said he has been advised by his lawyers not to respond to questions from any journalist as the matter was going to court.
Efforts to talk to Masebo herself have failed as he line has gone unanswered.
In a letter dated May 15, 2022 written to Mcebisi’s agent Jim Belemu, the executive director, Mahogany Air, Mcebisi stated that the request to purchase a vehicle and facilitation fees for Masebo for the hospital tender to be successful was highly irregular.
He stated that the corruption must be reported involving Masebo.
The Ministry of Health had put up a tender for the proposed construction and supply of equipment under reference MOH/SP/SP/W/005/20 for a 150 bed capacity infectious diseases hospital.
President Hakainde Hichilema fired permanent secretary Dr George Magwende over this matter involving $100million Covid hospital.
TFM was established in 1966. It is comprised of 11 different companies around South Africa with a National footprint providing sales, service, parts and manufacturing capabilities.
