Inside the Madlanga Commission: How a Brotherhood, Secret Chats, and a R2.9 Billion Tender Shook Tshwane
Viable News Team 
Allegations of secret deals leaked internal documents, and questionable alliances inside the City of Tshwane dominated the latest hearings of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. Testimony delivered this week revealed a deeply troubling portrait of governance, where personal relationships and hidden communications may have shaped one of the city’s largest security tenders.
The commission focused specifically on the “brotherhood” between Sergeant Fannie Nkosi from the Gauteng Organised Crime Unit and Gareth Mnisi, the Chief Financial Officer of the City of Tshwane. Their close relationship came to light through a series of WhatsApp messages that showed the two men discussing sensitive information about the city’s tender processes. Commissioner Yolande Faro, the Chief of Police for the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD), confirmed that the chats contained confidential details about Tshwane’s internal security matters, including which service providers were being circulated as favourites in the tender process. Similar behaviour was also linked to Umashi Dhlamini, the suspended TMPD deputy chief commissioner for support and administrative services.
During the hearing, the commission’s evidence leader, Advocate Mpilo Sikhakhane, highlighted how Nkosi’s connections extended even further. He noted that Nkosi’s relationships with individuals such as Matlala were significantly closer than expected for officials involved in sensitive state functions, raising questions about undue influence and backdoor access to information.
At the heart of the testimony was the massive TMPD 02-2016/2017 tender, worth R2.9 billion. The tender covered the monthly deployment of watchmen from twenty-two security companies and additional ad hoc services used by multiple municipal departments. One of the bidders was Ngaphesheya Security Services, a company owned by Nkosi’s brother. Evidence showed that the company’s bid had serious shortcomings that were flagged by Dhlamini early in the evaluation process. Despite these shortcomings, Ngaphesheya was still assisted, qualified, and ultimately received a portion of the tender. This development raised immediate concerns for the commission.
Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, who chairs the inquiry, expressed strong concern over how such a bid could transform from clearly deficient at submission to acceptable at adjudication. He described the sudden improvement as a clear sign that something improper had occurred behind the scenes. The judge stressed that this was not merely a procedural oversight but a direct indication of interference and manipulation. He added that the South African Constitution’s Section 217, which requires all state procurement to be fair, transparent, competitive, and cost-effective, was increasingly being misused by officials to the detriment of the public.
Justice Madlanga went further to describe the environment within the City of Tshwane’s procurement structures as one where some individuals actively engage in corruption, bid rigging, and impropriety, while others contribute through silence and inaction. He described a culture in which officials simply follow whatever agenda is being pushed, rather than fulfilling their legal and ethical responsibilities. The Ngaphesheya bid, he said, demonstrated this clearly, as those involved in the procurement process failed to act even when the red flags were unmistakable.
In her testimony, Commissioner Faro stressed that the investigation is not limited to a single tender. The inquiry is examining the entire procurement system within the TMPD, including whether the department should shift away from outsourced private security companies and instead bring services in-house. She noted that any tender found to have been awarded irregularly would be cancelled and replaced with a transparent process that adheres to constitutional requirements. According to Faro, consequence management and reforms are already being planned, and stronger systems will be introduced to prevent similar breaches in the future.
The revelations emerging from the Madlanga Commission expose deep-rooted concerns about governance in Tshwane. They highlight how personal networks, hidden communication channels, and a lack of internal accountability can undermine public resources on a massive scale. With billions of rands at stake, the implications reach far beyond the walls of the commission chamber. They affect the safety of residents, the integrity of public finances, and the public’s trust in the institutions meant to serve them.
As the inquiry continues, more evidence is expected to surface, potentially revealing further links, additional players, and deeper systemic failures. For now, the disclosures have placed the City of Tshwane under intense scrutiny, and the public is waiting to see whether the promises of consequence management and structural reform will translate into real accountability.
About the Author
