Durban businessman and Mamkhize's ex-husband Sbu Mpisane who benefitted hundreds of millions of rands in tenders, has come out to slam the tendering process. Mpisane opposed the current tendering system at his newly formed political party media briefing held in Umhlanga, north of Durban on yesterday. His new party, the Gap Fixers of South Africa (GFSA) have made their intentions clear that they will contest the 2024 general elections.
Mpisane is known to have bankrolled the African National Congress (ANC) to a tune of millions during Jacob Zuma's tunure as the President of the party and the country. Co-incidentally, Mpisane slammed the tendering system practiced by the ANC, while the party was celebrating its 112th birthday celebrations in Mbombela, Mpumalanga. "The tender system is not guaranteed that you'll win after submitting your tenders. I was also disadvantaged at times when I thought I'd get something. I would drive from Durban to Pongola to buy tender documents, only to lose to another bidder. It's always not a guaranteed job that you'd win all the time. So, for the betterment of the communities, this system must go so that other people work in construction and other jobs that won't require tendering. Imagine the number of jobs that will be created," he said.
Mpisane and his estranged wife, Shauwn "Mamkhize" Mkhize, benefitted in countless government tenders in the mid 2000s with their company, Zikhulise Group. They were known for constructing RDP houses in some of Durban townships. The couple became super rich and hosted year-end parties that attracted celebrities, media personalities and politicians from KwaZulu-Natal and Joburg. Mpisane, who still lives in their palatial home in La Lucia, north of Durban, has dumped the celebrity life and putting his focus in politics.
Yesterday, he introduced members of his party, including its president, Themba Viros Buthelezi, another businessman from Pongola. Mpisane, said they want to change the lives of South African people. Mpisane admitted the current government is doing a great job for the communities, but they have left some gaps behind. He said the Gap Fixers of SA wants to improve the lives of the majority of people. "There are many things that have been a big miss by the government. During the 1993 and 1994 Codesa negotiations, our black leaders agreed on the 'Sunset Clause' which made the black majority to live in poverty. Our government has been holding to political power for three decades, but the whites still have the economic power until today. This is what the Gap Fixers want to fix in the country," said Mpisane.
