conflict | Radio 94.7 FM

Patricia De Lille says more needs to be done to ensure people who work for the state don’t do business with the department

Public Works Minister Patricia de Lille has revealed more than 3,700 Public Works employees are doing business with the department.

She said 300 of those employees have their own companies and, in some instances, they had not declared the conflict of interest to the department.

The latest shocking revelations come as the Public Works Department investigates irregular expenditure relating to three state funerals that cost taxpayers a whopping R76 million.

It’s alleged a service provider inflated invoices for the funerals of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, former minister Zola Skweyiya and former chief of state protocol Billy Modise.

De Lille said more needed to be done to ensure people who work for the state don’t do business with the department.

The alleged threat made by businessman Peter-Paul Ngwenya that he would kill his former business associates is a fabrication, the defence argued on Thursday.

“The accused denies emphatically that he uttered the words that he ‘would kill these dogs’. It’s a concoction,” said Ngwenya’s lawyer, advocate Nqabayethu Buthelezi, during closing arguments in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court.

Ngwenya is facing charges of contravening a protection order and of crimen injuria for allegedly calling Investec chair and former long-term friend, Fani Titi, the k-word in a text message.

The conflict between Ngwenya and Titi stems from a business deal that turned sour.

Ngwenya allegedly sent SMSes telling MRC Media managing director Aqeel Patel “you will bleed,” and that Titi would “see his mother” – regarded by Titi as a threat to his life.

Buthelezi said it was improbable that N
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