World Cup tender comes back to haunt Magashule

Free State Premier Ace Magashule has become embroiled in a dispute over a R9.5m tender for 2010 World Cup soccer-related regalia as a businessman claims his firm was used as a front for an entity allegedly close to Magashule. A Daily Maverick report says Abiel Mokotso, sole director of Bokamoso Media House, has given details of how a meeting with Magashule in February 2010 led to him landing a multimillion-rand contract without exerting much effort. The R9.5m tender was to supply 30 000 soccer T-shirts and 20 000 blankets. The deal has turned sour for Mokotso who is now facing a criminal case and R2.2m fine from SARS. Significantly, states the report, the 2010 deal involved the powerful Dockrat family and their Sedgars group, who have interests in retail, clothing and construction and have long been regarded as close to the Free State premier. Mokotso opened a case of fraud against Magashule and Sedgars at the Bethlehem police station in 2015. The DM says Magashule failed to respond to questions. The Dockrats have denied any wrongdoing. Sedgars chief executive Zaid Dockrat denied using Mokotso as a front and said it was Mokotso who approached his company for help. ‘Bokamoso (Mokotso’s company) was not in a position to make payment for the goods. In order to secure payment, Sedgars took cession of the account. Sedgars supplied goods to Bokamoso at wholesale price, and Bokamoso in turn added a mark-up,’ Dockrat is quoted in the report as saying. Dockrat however said he didn’t know how it came about that Mokotso approached Sedgars. The report says Mokotso has also exposed what appears to be an initial police reluctance to investigate his countercomplaint against Magashule. The DM notes amaBhungane says it has learnt from a leaked report by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate that there are claims the police inquiry into Magashule’s alleged role in the matter was buried without proper investigation.