By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The evidence before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has painted a troubling picture of the tender process, pointing to alleged irregularities, missing documentation and a series of legal challenges in the City of Tshwane.
Five individuals have emerged as central figures in the alleged manipulation of TMPD tenders worth R2.9-billion: Chief Financial Officer Gareth Mnisi, suspended TMPD deputy chief Umashi Dhlamini, suspended Director of Asset Protection Services Tshukudu Malatji, inspector Alfred Phiri, and the disgraced Sergeant Fannie Nkosi.
Mnisi appeared before the commission and faced a barrage of questions relating to a R2.9-billion Tshwane Metropolitan Police Department (TMPD) tender for security services to protect property, assets and personnel.
Among the beneficiaries is Gubis 85 Solutions, which allegedly received over R59 million for ad-hoc services in the 2024/25 financial year.
Other companies implicated include Zingwenya 210 Investment CC and Triotic Protection Services, which is reportedly linked to Deputy Mayor Eugene Modise.
He was placed on precautionary suspension on Wednesday, 15 April 2026, for a period of three months, while an investigation gets underway into his alleged involvement in tender rigging.
During his testimony, Mnisi has admitted to giving embattled SAPS Sergeant Nkosi, gifts, raising concerns over possible improper dealings between them.
Although not specific, Mnisi said the gifts he gave Nkosi were not kickbacks.
“I did not facilitate or rent any payment to persons referred to in this notice, nor did I purchase any gifts for any such persons. I did purchase a gift for Sergeant Nkosi. I wish to state unequivocally that this gift was not offered as gratification, inducement, or a bribe or was it linked in any way to any official act, benefit, or preferential treatment,” said Mnisi.
Mnisi said, Nkosi is one of his close personal friends. He maintained he only occasionally relied on Nkosi for personal security.
“Chairperson, I have not received any payment or benefit, either directly or indirectly, from Sergeant Nkosi. I further confirm that I have not received any payment or benefit from a third party from Sergeant Nkosi. I do however wish to state that, on a few occasions, Sergeant Nkosi accompanied me to meetings or gatherings in instances where I might have felt unsafe or vulnerable purely as a friend. I never perceived this to understand that he accompanied me as a benefit of any sort for either of us,” said Mnisi.
Mnisi also told the commission that he does not have any influence on the tender bidding process at the City of Tshwane.
He also took the commission through the bid adjudication process followed by the city, saying he plays an oversight role in ensuring that all due processes are followed at the stage of the Bid Adjudication Committee (BAC).
“If the BAC spots discrepancies, they can refer back to BEC, for example, if a property report is missing,” he said.
He said that such mechanisms were built into the city’s Supply Chain Management (SCM) policies.
He further insisted that tender extensions were conducted strictly in line with SCM rules and subject to final approval by the city manager.
He maintained that while he chaired the BAC, he did not assist bidders directly or indirectly and had no role in steering outcomes.
The commission also interrogated Mnisi’s interactions with specific bidders.
Mnisi told the commission he has never had any financial relationship with Gubis85 Solutions or any TMPD-linked bidders, directors, or shareholders.
Despite Mnisi’s insistence that his role was procedural, commissioners repeatedly questioned his influence, particularly given his authority to endorse recommendations to the city manager.
Overshadowing his suspension were earlier revelations relating to his lavish lifestyle, including his fleet of luxury vehicles, such as Porsches, Range Rovers and a Maserati, as well as properties reportedly valued at R36-million, raising questions about how such assets align with his reported monthly salary of R124,000.
This information was revealed in his divorce proceedings. A judge remarked that the parties travelled abroad relatively often, further stating that Mnisi kept his cards close to his chest, with no explanation of how he accumulated his wealth.
In the divorce proceedings, Mnisi claimed he owned only our cars and argued that the remaining vehicles belonged to a third party, which he allegedly used at no cost.
Mnisi, who was appointed CFO in November 2023, first came under scrutiny following damning evidence presented at the Madlanga Commission. Testimony and documentary evidence began to link him to alleged irregularities in a controversial multibillion-rand security tender.