Parliament looking into alleged awarding of contract to Gengezi Mgidlana

Political parties in Parliament are demanding accountability and transparency about reports that former Secretary Gengezi Mgidlana might have been awarded a contract to business with the same parliament that fired him for various transgressions.

Secretary Xolile George said it has noted with concern the reports in the media

It is understood, Mgidlana’s company called Afrocentric Markets was appointed to provide benchmarking research for the South African legislative sector.

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George said Parliament will be looking into the matter to establish the circumstances surrounding the purported contract.

“Parliament’s commitment to good corporate governance and accountability remains sacrosanct, and should any wrongdoing be found, appropriate remedial actions will be undertaken.”

Meanwhile, labour union National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) has called on National Assembly Speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, to cancel the apparent contract with Mgidlana.

In a statement, Temba Gubula, Nehawu’s secretary in Parliament, said the union believed the appointment of Mgidlana’s company to do business with Parliament was irregular and unethical.

“Mgidlana was dismissed for acts of very serious misconduct by Parliament, and that should have immediately disqualified him or his company from engaging in any sort of business with Parliament.”

Parliament has, however, been at pains to dismiss the reports, saying there is no contract nor purchase order with Mgidlana’s company, Africentric Markets Consultancy.

“Mgidlana was dismissed in 2018, for acts of very serious misconduct by Parliament, and that should have immediately disqualified him or his company from engaging in any sort of business with Parliament.”

In 2017, Nehawu brought 13 allegations against Mgidlana, and in February 2018, the chairperson of the disciplinary hearing found him guilty on seven of the 13 charges, which included a charge of awarding himself a R71 000 ex-gratia bonus, which he didn’t qualify for.

In 2019, both the NCOP and NA unanimously resolved that he be fired.

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