Sizwe Africa IT Group, a black empowerment IT company awarded the Department of Education in the Eastern Cape e-learning contract, and electronics manufacturing giant Samsung, who got the bulk of the contract to supply 55 000 tablets, have been caught in a tug of war between political factions in that province.

Information obtained by Independent Media suggests that the war was between those aligned with President Cyril Ramaphosa, led by Mcebisi Jonas through his interests at telecoms giant MTN, on the one side.

The other group, it is claimed, is led by businessman Thato Abrahams, who has interests in Vodacom – a claim he has since come out to deny.

Read more at: https://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/news/alleged-attempt-to-scupper-big-eastern-cape-e-learning-contract-a268e53f-aff1-4288-ba5a-0e52c1df1210

Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams’s husband in Sita storm https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/stella-ndabeni-abrahamss-husband-in-sita-storm-6dbb4e0f-b3f5-4e07-86ae-0105b9aeb19a

Excerpt:

According to the whistleblower, the patronage party between Sita and Abrahams continued when telecoms company Vodacom received an RT15 contract to supply tablets, mobile devices and e-Learning materials to the Eastern Cape Department of Education through the Eastern Cape Department of Economic Development.

Sources at Sita say Abrahams has a close relationship with the telecommunications giant.

In a response to questions, Abrahams said: “I would like to put it on record that I don’t have any business dealings with Vodacom, Sita nor any other player in the Telecoms space.

“I would really appreciate it not to be dragged into Sita and its service providers squabbles.”

Ndabeni-Abrahams responded: “I know nothing of these baseless allegations and I would urge you to ask your sources to provide evidence of your allegations.”

The post Alleged attempt to scupper big Eastern Cape e-learning contract appeared first on EMFSA.

Daily Maverick

By Pieter-Louis Myburgh, 15 April 2020

A closely guarded internal Vodacom investigation has flagged a questionable partnership deal between the telecommunications giant and a Free State businessman linked to former premier Ace Magashule. Vodacom has reported the matter to the Zondo Commission and won’t divulge any details on the probe. However, Scorpio’s own months-long investigation sheds light on dealings involving the ANC’s secretary-general that could land some of Vodacom’s top current and former executives, including CEO Shameel Joosub, in hot water.

South Africa’s largest cellphone network operator gifted lucrative partnership deals to companies linked to former premier Ace Magashule in relation to voice and data contracts Vodacom scored from provincial government departments in the Free State.

Read more at: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-04-15-vodacom-in-ace-magashule-linked-free-state-contracts-scandal/

The post Vodacom in Ace Magashule-linked Free State contracts scandal appeared first on EMFSA.