Two senior Tshwane metro officials have been placed at the centre of a scheme that assisted a company to pocket more than R59.1m within a year for services that were not needed.
The two officials are Tshwane deputy commissioner Umashi Dlhamini and CFO Gareth Mnisi, who are said to be behind Gubis85 Solutions raking in millions more than any of the 22 security firms hired by Tshwane to guard its assets.
Testifying at the Madlanga commission of inquiry on Tuesday, deputy chief of police Revo Spies said the companies were awarded a tender in March 2022 that was meant to expire in February 2025 but was extended to June 2026.
Three of the security companies — Gubis85, Izingwenya 210 Solutions and Triotic Protection Service — are alleged to have ties with criminal cartels. Triotic’s former director is deputy mayor Eugene Modise.
According to Spies, the city later created an ad hoc security and watchman services, which deployed guards to the city’s infrastructure, such as reservoirs and sub stations.
Spies said Gubis85, owned by Calvin Mahlangu and Precious Magubane, was the highest-paid company, with R59.13m from July 2024 to June 2025.
While other companies were only deployed to Tshwane properties closer to their business addresses, Gubis85 was deployed across the city.
Spies said the deployment was signed by Dlhamini’s subordinate, an “Inspector Phiri”, while Mnisi ensured the city paid the invoices. Phiri, an asset protection services regional supervisor, is believed to have deployed the guards without authority.
Spies further told the commission that he was informed that Dlhamini, Mnisi and Sgt Fannie Nkosi [a police officer who has ties with alleged criminals] communicated through Whatsapp messages on March 5 2025 about the creation of the ad hoc security and watchman services and the need for purchase orders.
Spies said the purchase orders were created a day later, adding that the orders were manipulated, as no risk assessment was conducted before the deployment of the guards.
“There was a false need created. I have another division or section within my division that investigates breaches. That section, when they do statistics, look at trends analysis and what happened at specific departments. When I look back on that, there was no increase in breaches or attacks on reservoirs, there were isolated incidents ... at the most six for that financial year,” Spies said.
He said after an assessment was done in 2025, the matter was then subjected to an internal investigation, which revealed that Phiri made the deployment without authority to do so.
The investigation also revealed that director Tshakudu Malatji, who was the project manager of the ad hoc services, was suspended as a result.
Spies said Phiri has not reported to work since he was informed on Friday last week that the city would like to obtain a statement from him to start a suspension process.
The matter was also reported to law enforcement. “I also then reported the matter to the Hawks for a criminal investigation into the matter,” Spies told the commission.
Spies also revealed that Ngaphesheya — a company that Nkosi claims belongs to his brother — had been paid more than R2m by the city despite the company being non-compliant.
Previously, the commission saw evidence from WhatsApp messages revealing that MMC Kholofelo Morodi had shared internal bid specifications with Nkosi. As a result, the city placed Morodi on suspension.
The commission will resume its work on April 7.
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