Department of Water and Sanitation

Emails discuss a budget and fund transfer for watchman services involving a complaint lodged with the office of the CFO and executive meetings with senior city officials including the Chief of Police, COO, and CFO.

“a budget and fund transfer for Watchmen Services 91 million... based on these emails that at some point after a complaint was lodged with the office of the CFO, there were executive meetings arranged and held. These executive meetings included office of the Chief of Police, the COO, the CFO, and others...”

Senior officials discussed how to obtain money to pay outstanding invoices including R9.1 million for ad hoc watch services instructed by the Department of Water and Sanitation.

“these senior officials in the city met to find ways and means through which they could get money to pay for these invoices... including invoices for Gubis 85 in respect of services... result of instructions from the department in question... mainly discussing about budget and funds to enable the city to pay outstanding invoices to the tune of R9.1 million which I believe was also including ad hoc services which were instructed by the Department of Water and Sanitation.”

Director Malatji confirmed providing a list of departments and services as a response to Commissioner Revo Spies in June 2025, indicating which departments requested services like Gubis 8 Solutions.

“in response to Revo Spies, I did provide a response, and my response was very short. But we even attached to my response a list to say, for example, Gubis 8 Solutions, the department that requested services was the Department of Water and Sanitation... I went further to say, for Klipgata ad hoc services, the department is Wastewater Treatment Plant. I believe it is also part of the Department of Water and Sanitation.”

Director Malatji explained that ad hoc service invoices normally do not come to him for signature if handled properly, and that the service providers consent and department consent precede his signature.

“all ad hoc services which have been handled properly ... normally those invoices would not even end up with me having to sign ... at the end of the day, the service provider consent would submit such invoices to the department consent, not me ... Gubis was instructed by Department of Water and Sanitation, while Mogalagadi and Triotic were instructed by the Office of the Chief of Police, Mr Bolhuis.”

Gubis invoices related to ad hoc services needed to be signed by Director Malatji because the executive instructed deployment and payment must come from the Watchman services vote, which falls under Malatji's responsibility.

“Gubis was instructed by the Department of Water and Sanitation ... such invoices were supposed to be signed by me ... by virtue of the executive having instructed the deployment thereof ... those invoices had to be paid from my vote, the Watchman Services.”

Director Malatji fully explained to Commissioner Bolhuis the process on how ad hoc deployments work and informed him that Gubis Solutions ad hoc services were initiated by another department without complying with the SOP.

“I fully explained to Commissioner Bolhuis the process on how ad hoc deployments work... I further explained to Commissioner Bolhuis that Gubis Solutions, ad hoc services, were initiated by the Department of Water and Sanitation without complying and/or observing the SOP mentioned above.”

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 ...”

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 issued the first batch of deployment notices on 14 January 2025, effective from 15 January 2025, after verifying that the infrastructure size existed to justify deployment.

“I signed off approximately the first batch of deployment notices on 14 January 2025, which officially became effective on 15 January 2025. The purpose of the adhoc deployment was to secure the premises adequately so that Water and Sanitation could safely execute repairs and reinstall infrastructure.”

Major Phiri states he has no role in generating or creating purchase orders; this responsibility lies solely with the Department of Water and Sanitation, which also handles invoice payments. He denies any improper relationship or favouritism regarding Gubis 85 Solutions.

“I am not responsible for generation or creation of purchase orders . That is the sole responsibility . In this case , it was going to be the sole responsibility of Department of Water and Sanitation . As in 18 , it was told that the invoices must go to Department of Water and Sanitation or TMPD Finance Department . And I have been made aware of inferences suggesting that I may have favoured Gubis 85 Solutions or received incentives for channelling work to them . I categorically deny this allegation .”

Major Phiri was surprised and flabbergasted by the termination letters regarding security services deployment and claims the Department of Water and Sanitation was not notified as required by duty.

“Commissioners, on this occasion, the letters come, in fact, they surprised me. Surprise, in fact, is not a word that I can use. I can say I was flabbergasted. The termination letters. Yes, when they come. And the departments, the Department of Water and Sanitation, I did not even notify them.”

Major Phiri states security deployment stopped because the service provider was terminated and any security issues thereafter should be dealt with by the department adjusting evidence to reflect that termination.

“I say, no, but we terminated, Director Malatji will tell you. It is now the department that must adjust evidence to say, you are terminating the security. The problem is, we are sitting with this problem. Immediately after terminating, we do not do any other assessment after that...”

There were interactions between the office of Director Malatji and the Gubis, including the Department of Water and Sanitation regarding ad hoc security services from January to March.

“Thereafter, from January, February, March, there were interactions between my office and Gubis, including the Department of Water and Sanitation around these ad hoc services.”

Department of Water and Sanitation officials stated they hoped to pay for the ad hoc services but the budget did not allow it.

“Department officials that no, we were hoping to, not hoping, we were going to pay for this ad hoc services, but something happened, the budget is not allowing.”

According to Director Malatji, it was the Department of Water and Sanitation that told Gubis they should deploy additional security in December.

“With the December one, you say it is the Department of Water and Sanitation that had said to them they should deploy additional security.”

The Department of Water and Sanitation identified the need for a deployment, but the deployment letter was issued by another department, which falls under Director Malatji's responsibility.

“Th e W a t e r a n d S a n i t a t i o n d e p a r t m e n t i d e n t i f i e d t h e n e e d , m a y b e s p o k e t o G u b i s , b u t y o u r d e p a r t m e n t d i d t h e d e p l o y m e n t l e t t e r”