Note to Editors: Please find attached English soundbite by Mike Moriarty MPL.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has referred the Gauteng Department of Health to the Information Regulator South Africa for failing to provide a copy of the contract it issued to Triotic for security services. Triotic is owned and operated by people connected to the ANC deputy Mayor and finance MMC in Tshwane, Eugene ‘Bonzo’ Modise. They have clearly sought to stonewall any effort to expose the goings-on in this matter.
On 8 April this year, the DA used the provisions of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) to obtain a copy of the contract. The department failed to provide the document, and then the DA used the PAIA appeal process. The department, despite indicating willingness to provide the document, purported to give the contract after delaying the process. However, instead of delivering the contract, the department gave the DA a service level agreement.
This service level agreement was heavily redacted. This was done to remove the identities of those owning and operating Triotic. This was surely done purely to protect someone who was politically connected. We note that The Sunday Times reported that an internal investigation by the City of Tshwane has found that Modise may have failed to disclose and divest his interest in a company that provides ‘watchman’ services to the municipality.
Accordingly, we have used the PAIA provisions that enable the Information Regulator to investigate and compel the department to provide the contract and an unredacted version.
The DA in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature joins hands with the DA in Tshwane to expose the dealings with Triotic. We will always be vigilant in exposing corruption and pursuing prosecution of those implicated. If the DA governed the province, there would be transparency and accountability.