Panyaza Lesufi cleared of wrongdoing in In2IT Technologies tender

“I just hope those who insulted me and even laid a criminal case with the police will do the honourable thing‚” Gauteng MEC Panyaza Lesufi wrote on his Twitter page, after deputy public protector Kholeka Gcaleka found no wrongdoing on his part in the awarding of a R30m tender to In2IT Technologies.

The public protector’s office had in 2020 received a complaint from advocate Anton Alberts who alleged that Lesufi might have unduly influenced the award of the R30m tender to In2IT Technologies‚ considering that he allegedly on several occasions tried to “insert” In2IT Technologies into government services.

Alberts alleged that: e-Gov awarded a suspicious 24-hour R30m express tender to In2IT; e-Gov used the cover of the Covid-19 pandemic to rush through a huge information technology contract without following proper tender processes; and communication & digital technologies minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams granted permission to e-Gov to deviate from normal procurement processes in the awarding of the tender. 

Gcaleka said the allegation that Lesufi unduly influenced the awarding of the tender to In2IT was unsubstantiated.

“There is no evidence in my possession that indicates that Mr Lesufi was involved in any procurement process of the … tender or that he disregarded the provisions of the code of conduct for members of the provincial executive council.

“The conduct of Mr Lesufi was not in contravention of section 136 (1) (2) (a) (b) (c) of the constitution and rule 9 of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature standing rules‚” Gcaleka said.

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