The embattled KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane-Mngadi, has threatened to take legal action against people who have implicated her in the Ithala corruption loan scandal.

The allegations that emerged a few days ago are that she used her position of power as the chairperson of the Agriculture and Rural Development portfolio committee some years ago to get funding for a family company in Ithala and in government. The allegations, first brought by a social media influencer Baas Kruger (it is unclear whether this is a real name), state that Kwazigugu Investment received a loan from Ithala Bank to buy a farm in Danahuser in the north-west of the province, as well as R1.4 billion from the Agriculture and Rural Development department.

In a statement on Thursday, Simelane-Mngadi denied allegations calling them false and malicious, saying she was exploring the legal route.

“I’m exploring legal action to protect my name and my integrity and take to task those who deliberately and nefariously wish to impugn my good name,” said Simelane-Mngadi.

She confirmed that the company in question was established in 1996 by her parents, however, she resigned from it in 2004 and has no business interests in it. She added that she has never benefitted from any of its dealings. She further stated that the company did receive a loan from Ithala Bank in 2008, however, at that time she was a junior official in government, with no authority or influence over Ithala or any funding decisions.

The MEC also said she served as chairperson of the portfolio committee on Agriculture and Rural Development from 2016 to 2019 whereas the funding in question relates to a period specifically between 2014 and 2016 when she was not the chairperson of the committee as she was appointed in June 2016.

“In our system of government, the separation of powers is clear, MPLs, including committee chairpersons, have no role in Supply Chain Management or operational decisions of departments. Therefore, I could not have influenced any procurement processes.

“These facts are easily verifiable, and their deliberate distortion shows that this is not an attempt to inform the public, but rather a well-calculated political smear campaign,” concludes Simelane-Mngadi.

On an unrelated matter that is also burning her fingers, she has been accused of engineering the termination or non-renewal of the contract of the popular Vuma FM presenter Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma. It is believed that the MEC’s issue with the presenter was her well-attended marches against illegal foreigners in the province which has resulted in locals barring them from accessing healthcare services in public hospitals. The MEC has also denied influencing the presenter’s dismissal.

The allegations against her and her ANC counterpart Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka are also on premier Thamsanqa Ntuli’s radar who had demanded a written response from them about the allegations against them. Hlomuka is accused of involvement in a lucrative schools nutrition tender scheme. He has reportedly denied his involvement and called for evidence. Simelane-Mngadi said she is preparing a detailed report to Ntuli and the ANC about the allegations.

willem.phungula@inl.co.za

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