Mona 'was involved in scam'

2009-07-10 11:33

Johannesburg - Newly appointed acting head of communications in the Presidency Vusi Mona was allegedly involved in a bribery scheme, the Mail and Guardian reported on Friday.

Alleged illegal payments were said to have followed the Mpumalanga government's 2003 award of a R32m public relations tender to a company allegedly belonging to Mona and business partner Moss Mashamaite.

The two were said to have paid substantial amount of money to provincial officials Stanley Soko and Ernest Khoza, who allegedly demanded money for ensuring the company secured the tender.

Soko and Khoza were facing charges of bribery in the Nelspruit Regional Court, where Mona's business partner Mashamaite had confessed and was the key State witness.

Mashamaite had told the court that Rainbow Kwanda Communications, the consortium of three companies he owned with Mona, had placed a bid for the multi-million contract in January 2003.

He said in June 2003, after they had received the contract, he was invited to Khoza's home. Upon arrival he found Mona already there and accused Soko joined them later.

"In this meeting Khoza informed Mashamaite and Mona that he and Soko had to be rewarded for the key roles they played in securing the contract... They wanted R1m each... The parties then all agreed thereto."

Mashamaite physically made the payments to the two officials but the charge sheet claimed Mona remained involved.

It is alleged that Mona "put pressure on Mashamaite to pay the money". At another stage "Mona informed Mashamaite that Soko wanted to be paid R100 000 per month. Mashamaite agreed with Mona on R65 000".

At a later stage, Mona became more involved in the company after he had left his job as City Press editor, "he started taking more of an interest in the day-to-day running of the business".

"After the two realised the losses they were incurring because of the fact that they were paying these amounts to the accused they took a decision in principle to cease further payments."

The contract was terminated during the second half of 2004.

Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told the weekly newspaper there were no charges against Mona and "he was not part of the case currently running either as a witness or an accused".

"Mr Mona did not co-own the said company at the time it concluded a contract with the Mpumalanga government. He denies he was part of any bribery or chain of events leading to the alleged bribery."

When Sapa called Magwenya to request Mona's contact details, he asked that questions be forwarded to Magwenya. Magwenya did not immediately respond to questions sent to him.

- SAPA