A contractor which banked millions in state funding to upgrade the homestead of President Jacob Zuma was so hurriedly appointed that two key Department of Public Works bid committees sat on the same day‚ a process which usually stretches over weeks. Special Investigations Unit (SIU) investigator Christian Legwabe testified that the back-to-back sittings were "highly abnormal". Legwaba is the first witness in ongoing department disciplinary hearings into alleged wrongdoing by officials over the controversial R246m Nkandla upgrades. The hearings are taking place in Durban‚ with Legwaba starting his testimony in the case against Jayshree Pardesi‚ a director of key accounts management‚ on Wednesday. She is one of 10 public works officials accused of flouting tender processes in the awarding of various contracts for the Nkandla project.
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