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The remarks in question are not only false and malicious but have also caused significant harm to our client’s reputation and the integrity of the office she holds as the Member of the Executive Council for Education in Mpumalanga. - Jaco Loots from Phosa Loots Incorporated

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Sizwe sama Yende

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Mpumalanga Education MEC, Cathy Dlamini, has instituted legal action against her nemesis, EFF provincial leader Collen Sedibe, who has obtained photos of her meeting a service provider and copy of her identity document and published them on social media.

Sedibe launched an onslaught against Dlamini immediately after her appointment and has unsuccessfully campaigned for her dismissal.

What peeved Sedibe was Dlamini’s decision to reshuffle supply chain management staff in her department following suspicions of tender rigging and manipulation.

The officials allegedly swayed lucrative tenders such as the R1.2 billion feeding scheme to their favourite service providers, and they were at the centre of the purchase of 22 laptops for R91 482.50 each.

An investigation by Premier Mandla Ndlovu did not link Dlamini to the purchase but implicated eight official in the supply chain management unit. Departmental head, Lucy Moyane, has since been placed on suspension.

According to Dlamini’s lawyer, Jaco Loots from Phosa Loots Incorporated, the legal proceedings emanate from Sedibe’s publication and dissemination defamatory statements against Dlamini on Facebook and X.

“The remarks in question are not only false and malicious but have also caused significant harm to our client’s reputation and the integrity of the office she holds as the Member of the Executive Council for Education in Mpumalanga,” Loots said.

“As a public servant, our client remains fully committed to transparency, accountability and service delivery, and cannot allow these baseless allegations to go unchallenged,” he added.

The People’s Eye understands that Dlamini could claim as much as R20 million.

Sedibe has since responded on his social media accounts: “I will never be intimidated or silenced by the courts. I’ve been in and out of courts during and after the apartheid regime I’m not stranger to this nonsense. I FEAR FOKOL AND I REPEAT BRING IT ON.”

Sedibe had written on his social media accounts that  he got it from “good authority’” that Dlamini took R3million from MTN officials in December in exchange for a tender worth R200 million for the supply and delivery of tablets.

Sedibe also published photos of Dlamini sitting in a restaurant with CEO of Emalangeni Technologies, Sfiso Maganyane, on Facebook. He has however not indicated how he obtained the photos. Maganyane’s company does not have a contract with the department presently since its contract awarded before Dlamini’s appointment expired in February 2024.

Sedibe also had video footage of the MEC meeting with Maganyane.

Maganye has lodged a harassment and intimidation complaint against Sedibe which places him right at the centre of a controversial ICT tender dispute.

Maganyane accused Sedibe of threatening him through WhatsApp messages.

The WhatsApp messages that The People’s Eye has seen indicate that Sedibe contacted Maganyane accusing him of plotting to kill a man named Ben.

“We know all your plans you and your corrupt MEC mother and you will not succeed (sic). We know that you bought people to kill Ben. [Should] it happen, small boy, we will show you wonders. Nisijwayela masimba (loose translation: You are taking us for shit). We are ready for you and your gun man combined,” Sedibe wrote.

“You must know that we are not sleeping. We are watching every move you do small boy.”

Magonyane seemed confused and replied: “Who are you? Kill Ben for what…and who’s Ben anyway? I think you really lost, sir.”

“You know us very well,” answered Sedibe, “Don’t try to be clever here. Why didn’t you answer my phone or revert back (sic) to me? If you go around planning to kill other people you will die first and very young, boy.”

He then introduces himself. 

Sedibe said about a month ago that Maganyane had been interfering and fighting Dlamini’s political battles.

“After seeing I challenged the MEC and took her to the Public Protector. He and the MEC went and hired a hitman. There are two guys – he gave one guy R100 000 and another R500 000,” Sedibe said.

However, Sedibe has not registered any complaint with the police about the alleged conspiracy.