Unveiling Tshwane’s Controversial R95 Million Water Transport Contract

Questionable Award to a Little-Known Company Raises Red Flags

The City of Tshwane controversially allocated an enormous R95 million contract for water transportation to Nomakhuwa Trading and Projects, a company that appears ill-equipped to fulfill such a large-scale service. The firm is managed solely by Eunice Nontobeko Mkhonza, who resides in a modest government-subsidized RDP home in Soshanguve, with a child attending a no-fee school. This stark contrast between the contract’s value and the company’s apparent capacity has sparked widespread suspicion about possible fronting for influential individuals within Tshwane’s lucrative water-tanker industry.

Investigative Findings Highlight Lack of Infrastructure and Equipment

An in-depth investigation by the Sunday Times revealed that despite receiving R95 million in the 2025 financial year, Nomakhuwa Trading and Projects does not own any water tankers, nor does it possess the necessary infrastructure such as storage tanks, secured depots, or trained personnel typically required for water delivery at this scale. Official records from the National Traffic Information System (eNatis) confirm the company owns only five medium-duty freight trucks, none of which are water tankers.

When visited, the company’s registered address showed no signs of operational facilities or vehicles capable of managing such a substantial contract. This raises critical questions about whether Nomakhuwa is genuinely conducting water transport services or merely acting as a billing front for other powerful stakeholders.

Connections to Prominent Figures and the Broader Water-Tanker Scandal

Sources suggest that Mkhonza may be related to Mandla Jeffrey Mgcina, director of Ivoline Trading Enterprise, another water-tanker company that received R5.5 million from Tshwane in the same financial year. Although sibling status could not be independently confirmed, Mkhonza briefly served as a director at Ivoline in 2020. Mgcina operates a small depot with multiple water tankers near Mkhonza’s residence.

Mgcina’s name surfaced during the Madlanga Commission, which investigates corruption and organized crime within South Africa’s justice system. He is reportedly the nephew of Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni, a prominent taxi industry figure whose operations have been linked to irregular security payments in Tshwane. This connection underscores concerns about the entanglement of the taxi industry with municipal tender processes.

Widespread Irregularities in Tshwane’s Water-Tanker Contracts

Nomakhuwa Trading and Projects is one among approximately 40 companies that collectively received R777 million from Tshwane for water-trucking services in 2025. Many of these companies, including Grab Assets Solutions, which was paid R33.5 million, lack the necessary water tanker vehicles. Grab Assets Solutions, for instance, owns tractors and freight trucks but no water tankers, and its director, Ntsabi Shabalala, is employed elsewhere full-time.

Further scrutiny revealed that Tshwane’s deputy mayor, Eugene “Bonzo” Modise, and ANC regional treasurer James Shelenge have also benefited from these contracts. Shelenge’s company, Best Enough Trading and Projects 669, was paid R30 million despite owning no water tankers. Notably, Shelenge has made significant personal purchases, including luxury vehicles worth over R11 million and a property valued at R2.3 million, raising questions about the source of his wealth.

Political Ties and Calls for Accountability

Modise, who also chairs the ANC in Tshwane and oversees municipal finances, was previously a director of Gofa-One, a company that received R1.7 million for water transport in 2024. Although he resigned before becoming a councillor, he maintains close ties to the company, which is registered at his family home.

In response to mounting concerns, Tshwane’s city manager Johann Mettler has requested the Special Investigating Unit to conduct a thorough probe into the metro’s water-tanker expenditures. This investigation, initiated last month and expected to last about a year, aims to uncover irregularities and assess whether the city received value for money.

Discrepancies in Reported Expenditure and Political Reactions

The City of Tshwane disputes the R777 million figure, with spokesperson Selby Bokaba stating that verified payments amount to R621 million. The remaining R156 million is under review due to suspected duplications and administrative errors.

Opposition leader Cilliers Brink of the DA has long argued that exposing the true beneficiaries behind water-tanker companies would reveal senior ANC officials profiting from inflated municipal spending. Recent revelations linking Modise and Shelenge to these contracts lend credence to this claim. Brink criticized Mayor Nasiphi Moya for failing to remove Modise from his finance portfolio despite evidence of conflicts of interest, suggesting this undermines efforts to combat systemic corruption.

Conclusion: A Deep-Rooted Issue Demanding Transparency

The Tshwane water-tanker saga exemplifies the challenges of governance and accountability in municipal procurement. The involvement of politically connected individuals and companies lacking operational capacity points to a sophisticated network of fronting and misappropriation. As the Special Investigating Unit’s inquiry unfolds, the public awaits clarity on how billions in public funds were allocated and whether justice will be served to restore integrity in Tshwane’s water services.