Referred to as: Mr Herman Segolela · Herman Segolela
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The overarching purpose of the email exchanges was ultimately to have a deployment of security at the Klapperkop water pump station which had been badly vandalised during the festive period.
“the overarching purpose of all these email exchanges was ultimately to have a deployment ... the Klapperkop water pump station has been badly vandalised during the festives”
Repeated email requests from Mr Herman Segolela and the Department of Water and Sanitation for urgent deployment of security due to ongoing vandalism at the Klapperkop Reservoir were communicated to Director Malatji.
“Good day. We have responded and forwarded all the information needed by Metro Police Department. We are still waiting for them to confirm deployment ... Today I just received the bad report that the Klapperkop water pump station has been badly vandalised during the festives ... Kindly urgently confirm when you may be able to deploy ...”
Director Malatji wrote an email to Senior Superintendent Madihlaba (Colonel) instructing him to get Phirito to handle the process and for progress to be monitored, relating to deployment.
“... you are writing to Kwapeng ... Senior Sup Madihlaba, Colonel... Good evening. Kindly find request from Mr Herman from the Department of Water and Sanitation for further handling ... Please get Phirito run with the process and let us monitor progress.”
Director Malatji says Herman Segolela took advantage of an email dated 7 January to put additional sites onto the deployment list without proper GL account numbers, which was wrong and against the correct process.
“Mr Segolela has taken advantage of my email dated the 7th of January... He was supposed to do as he did with Klapperkop and others.”
Engineer consultant Herman Segolela sent urgent requests via email on 25 and 27 November 2024 to Mr Tshukudu Malatji for the provision and placement of security personnel at two pump stations, but did not receive a response.
“On the 25th of November 2024, Mr Segolela sent Mr Tshukudu Malatji an email. ... Mr Herman Segolela, engineer consultant, follows up on the 27th and says: “Good day. Kindly receive below email that was sent to you on your work email. I was not aware that your email has a problem receiving messages.” ... I believe he does not get the response. That is my ...”
Herman Segolela sent an email on January 3rd requesting an update on security deployment at pump stations vulnerable to vandalism.
“Dear Herman. On January the 3rd : How far is the matter ? Which pump station has been identified ?”
Herman Segolela sent a follow-up email on January 6th urgently requesting security deployment due to vulnerability to further vandalism at vulnerable sites.
“Mr Segolela writes another email , says : Mr Malatji , kindly , urgently confirm you may be able to deploy security as the sites are vulnerable to further vandalism .”
Deployment instructions for security guards were given verbally by Herman Segolela to Gubis, confirmed by WhatsApp message and a phone call.
“When they talked to me it was a WhatsApp message and then a call from Herman Segolela... Mr Herman Segolela had spoken to Gubis... deploy at these sites where there is vandalism.”
Director Tsukudu Malatji sent an email on 9 January 2025 at 09:15 and 20:45 from his Gmail account to Doctor Kwapeng Madihlaba regarding a request from Mr Herman from the Department of Water and Sanitation for further handling and monitoring of security deployment.
“The most important email will be dated Thursday, 09 January 2025... from a Gmail account of Director Tsukudu Malatji. He is sending the email to Doctor Kwapeng Madihlaba... He says: Good evening. Kindly find request from Mr Herman from the Department of Water and Sanitation for further handling. Please get Phiri to run with the process and let us monitor the progress.”
Major Phiri did not personally allocate security deployments but received instructions from Herman Segolela who did the allocations and identifications.
“Now, the deployment is no longer on my hands. It is on Mr Herman Segolela. He allocates, he identifies.”
On 6 January 2025, a meeting was convened involving Director Tshukudu Malatji, Herman Segolela, Dr. Kwapeng Madihlaba, and Major Phiri where Segolela complained that Phiri's delay in deploying security caused multimillion rand damages due to theft and vandalism.
“On 6 January 2025, a meeting was convened involving Director Tshukudu Malatji, Herman Segolela, Doctor Kwapeng Madihlaba, and myself. During this meeting, Mr Segolela formally complained that my delay to deploy security blindly had cost the department an estimation accounting to millions of rands in damages due to theft and vandalism.”
Major Phiri was not involved in the deployment of the company in May 2024 and started being involved only in January. The usage of Gubis at sites in May 2024 was without his knowledge, and Mr Herman Segolela or his bosses must explain this use.
“while following the proceedings, there were assertions that in May 2024 this company was deployed to certain sites and I was involved. And I cannot... I will just say it is incorrect... I started being involved in January... I want to put it clear that if Mr Herman Segolela or his bosses come here, they will have to explain why they were using it without the knowledge of APSS. So, I was not involved in that one.”
The deployment of Gubis sites was approved by the department management through their representative Mr Herman Segolela, not by APSS Inspector Phiri.
“Gubis was not given many sites by APSS Inspector Phiri. It was given sites by the department, the management of the department of Water and Sanitation through their representative, Mr Herman Segolela.”
An email from Herman Segolela on 31 December discusses the general ledger and vote number for security deployment costs, instructing service providers to submit invoices to the Department of Water and Sanitation for payment.
“The email was written by Herman Segolela on the 31st of December... It says: 'Colleagues, below find correspondence indicating that the GL and cost centre number from which these services will be paid for further handling and urgent deployment of security at both Klapperkop and Brickfield. These service providers shall submit all invoices to the Department of Water and Sanitation.'”
Major Phiri states he was instructed by Herman Segolela in a meeting to run the process related to deployment and allocations, supported by an email update from Segolela.
“The meeting of the 6th gives effect that Mr Phiri will – in fact ... it tells Doctor Elvis Madihlaba that please get Phiri to run with the process and let us monitor progress ... They come in as they come to say, Mr Phiri ... I have already given an instruction, now I must execute.”
Major Phiri explains that Herman Segolela provides the list of stations and deployment allocations which Phiri must execute, indicating Segolela has the authority over the station list.
“Now he gives me the list of stations. It is his allocation, his deployment. What I must do now is to go there and make sure that indeed this is the place.”
Major Phiri confirms the authority to deploy to various stations is derived from a meeting on 6 January 2025 and an email from Herman Segolela dated 10 January 2025, which was sent to him and Doctor Elvis Madihlaba.
“If we go to page 7 of my annexures, it is Friday, January 10th, 2025 ... Herman Segolela ... sends an email at 11:23 am: "Mr Phiri, I hope this finds you well. This is the updated list ..." The authority came with that email. It is given to Doctor Elvis Madihlaba.”
Major Phiri explains that Herman Segolela identifies and allocates Gubis sites, and Phiri must then execute the deployment based on that allocation; emails exist to support this process.
“He identifies sites, he allocates Gubis, and then mine is to go ... There are emails to that effect. ... He is telling us where his problems are, and then we are going where he tells us.”
Major Phiri received an instruction on 10 January via email from Herman Segolela, which gave him the go-ahead to start his job.
“finally, on the 10th of January, that would be the email on page 1... from Mr Herman Segolela... that gives you the go-ahead. Is that correct? Yes.”