Last month, the Madlanga commission heard that 22 companies were granted this tender, and about R2.9 billion has been paid out to date. Between July 2024 and June 2025, Gubis85 Solutions was paid R60 million for ad hoc services. This was in addition to its standard monthly security services payment of R3.5 million.

Phiri denies allegations On Thursday, Phiri denied allegations that he allocated Gubis85 Solutions for deployment at various sites, saying he was responsible for deployments, not creating purchase orders. “I have been employed by the municipality since 2008. For the past 15 years, I’ve been responsible for handling security deployments without any prior disciplinary issues.

Initially, my duties were executed within the city manager’s office prior to my current position,” said Phiri. “Firstly, I wish to categorically place on record that I derive my authority to issue instructions for ad hoc security deployments directly from Director Tshukudu Malatji and the instruction to run the process and handling of ad hoc for water and sanitation was issued on 9 January 2025. “On or about 30 December 2024, I received communication from the engineering consultant, Mr Herman Segolela, within the water and sanitation department, requesting security at two specific pump stations.

I actively resisted deploying guards at that time, and instructed the service provider to halt any deployments by 31 December 2024, as I was out of Pretoria and had not yet physically verified the locations or the extent of the vandalism. “On 6 January 2025, a meeting was convened involving Director Tshukudu Malatji, Herman Segolela, Dr Kwapeng Madihlaba and me. During this meeting, Mr Segolela formally complained that my delay in deploying security blindly had cost the department an estimated millions of rand in damages due to theft and vandalism.

I reiterated to Director Malatji that I could not authorise deployments without conducting physical site inspections, and the minutes of the meeting are with Director Malatji.” Phiri presented emails as evidence that he was instructed to run the ad hoc deployment process. He further alleged that Segolela had a deal with Gubis85 Solutions that led him to push for these deployments. Security tenders and water tankers According to Phiri’s testimony, Tshwane is stuck between a rock and a hard place regarding security and water tanker tenders.

Phiri said Tshwane has a tender to supply water through water tankers, and syndicates take advantage of this system. If pump stations are vandalised or sabotaged, communities need water, and a tender must be issued for water tankers to supply it. If it is not the water tanker syndicates, it is the security tenders.

Last month, Deputy Chief of Police: Asset Protection and Security Services at the TMPD, Revo Spies, testified that while the security contracts themselves showed no irregularities, he highlighted ad hoc services that could be manipulated. WhatsApp messages from suspended corruption-accused South African Police Service (Saps) member Sergeant Fannie Nkosi’s phone suggested potential tender manipulation at the TMPD, where extensions are granted on current security contracts to ensure continued payments from the department.