/ 10 March 2013

Malema’s On-Point Engineering blacklisted

Malema's On Point Engineering Blacklisted

The Sunday Times reported that On-Point Engineering and its chief executive Lesiba Gwangwa, reportedly Malema's close friend, have been blacklisted on a Treasury database.

Gwangwa (33) is embroiled in a court case involving a tender worth R52-million which was allegedly unlawfully awarded to the company in 2009. The contract was for On-Point to oversee work by service providers contracted to the Limpopo roads and transport department.

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela found in October last year that the department did not follow proper guidelines in awarding the tender, and that On-Point and Malema improperly benefited from the contract.

Some of the money paid to On-Point was transferred to the former ANC Youth League leader's Ratanang Family Trust.

Treasury spokesperson Jabulani Sikhakhane said government departments and state institutions had to consult the database of blacklisted people and organisations before tenders could be awarded.

Preservation order

Meanwhile, the SA Revenue Service has applied for a preservation order for Malema's assets, the Sunday Independent reported.

Malema has until April 16 to argue why the order, brought by Sars before the High Court in Pretoria, should not be made final.

The application for the order, held in chambers, was brought after the sheriff of the court attempted to remove assets from his Florapark, Polokwane home, and some of them were no longer there. The assets had been auctioned off in February for R54 810.

Sars investigator Pieter Engelbrecht said in an affidavit: "Sars regards the respondent's [Malema's] actions to remove … assets falling under attachment as a dissipation or an attempt by him to hide assets to the detriment of his creditors."

In January the assets at this home, and at his second home in Sandown, Johannesburg, were attached as part of efforts by the taxman to cover his tax bill of over R16-million.

Sars has applied to have Malema placed under sequestration and under curatorship. – Sapa