Mpisane back in the spotlight
The eThekwini Muncipality have dismissed allegations made by the DA that they paid R300-million to Shauwn Mpisane's company without the council's approval.
WEEKS after the charges against La Lucia resident and multi-millionaire businesswoman, Shauwn Mpisane were dropped in the Durban and Pinetown Regional Courts, the woman who lives in a house in Addison Drive surrounded by armed guards, hit the spotlight once again.
This time, Mpisane was in the news after the city dismissed allegations that they paid her R300-million without council’s approval. Her company, Zikhulise Cleaning, Maintenance & Transport has built more than 2 800 low cost houses in Umlazi already.
The city was responding to a statement made by DA caucus leader, Cllr Zwakele Mncwango where he said: “eThekwini municipal manager S’busiso Sithole must be suspended with immediate effect for taking a unilateral decision to pay controversial businesswoman Shauwn Mpisane more than R288 million this past December – a period during which she was in court facing various fraud and corruption charges.”
Yesterday the city hit back saying that the statement made by Mncwango was “grossly misleading and represents a deliberate distortion of facts”. The eThekwini said the more than R64-million paid to Mpisane in December was for work already done as part of the Umlazi Infill Part 5 project.Last month all charges against the La Lucia resident were dropped. She was facing more than a hundred charges relating to fraudulent invoices.
In the Durban Regional Court Mpisane was facing over 100 counts of fraud for allegedly committing tax fraud to the value of R4.7million and lying about her company’s Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) rating in order to secure tenders from government institutions.
Mpisane had also been accused of interfering with a witness who was expected to testify in the tax evasion case against her. That matter was in the Pinetown Regional Court. All charges against her have been dropped in both courts.
