A RETIRED head of Durban Solid Waste (DSW) at the eThekwini Municipality said he felt troubled and uneasy when he had to pay huge amounts to contractors.
This was during the trial of the former eThekwini Municipality mayor, Zandile Gumede, including the former city manager, Sipho Nzuza, in the Durban High Court on Tuesday, 8 August.
They are charged with money laundering, fraud and corruption concerning the Durban Solid Waste tender of more than R300 million.
On 8 August, led by senior state prosecutor Ashika Lucken, the witness said he didn't get involved when the contractors were appointed on 12 December 2017.
He said at that time, the 27 contractors were going to have their contracts end on 31 December.
"But suddenly, on 12 December, the new contractors were found. I was pleased that the contractors had been found because it meant work would continue. And this was in December when there is lots of work," said the witness.
He said he asked one of the workers if they knew about the new contractors, but he said he did not know.
ALSO READ| David's secret find wets everyone's appetite!
"I was surprised at the speed of these new contractors. I had no knowledge about the selection of these new contractors. I was not informed about them. But in the middle of January, I walked into a meeting, and a worker then hid some documents she was carrying behind her back," he said.
He said the administration manager, Thandeka Gwamanda, requested those documents, and that was the first time he saw the first page of the documents.
"The first page of the document was clearly stating that a contract has been approved. I didn't see the entire document, but I gazed at the first page, and that's when I saw it was a letter of award," he said.
He said later in January 2018 that he was made aware by accused number 14, Zithulele Mkhize, that he is the owner of the Uzuzinekele Trading that was awarded a tender.
"I then decided to meet with the head of treasury, Sandile Mnguni, and we discussed the payments because they were huge amounts. I asked him to advise me on this matter," he said.
Judge Sharmaine Balton adjourned the matter to Thursday, 10 August, for the witness to proceed with testifying.
