The board of the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ) has voted, six to five, to give the go-ahead for a R99.3-million contract to a contractor with a long history of disputed government contracts and unfinished projects across Limpopo.
The company, Tshiamiso Trading 135 (Pty) Ltd, whose sole director is Hlamani Bruce Mohlaba, was previously awarded a R200-million MMSEZ roads and stormwater contract, which collapsed in 2025 after the company had been paid R50.4 million before leaving the site.
The proceedings at the board meeting on 29 May resulted in a formal letter of dissent from one board member. It also triggered a Hawks investigation into a senior ANC official accused of intimidation linked to the award. Both MMSEZ and the ANC in Limpopo declined to answer detailed questions about the matter.
A contractor with a troubled history
Tshiamiso Trading 135 was established in 2008 as a close corporation, with Mohlaba and co-director Phineas Kgahlisho Legodi at the helm. Legodi resigned in 2010, leaving Mohlaba as the sole owner.
The company’s dealings with public bodies in Limpopo span many years and have repeatedly ended in dispute.
In 2016, Makhado Municipality awarded Tshiamiso contracts to construct two roads. The costs later escalated, and the projects were halted.
In 2019, the Greater Tzaneen Municipality took the company to court over a R26-million road and stormwater contract, accusing it of “undue enrichment” after costs escalated and Tshiamiso demanded additional payment. The Polokwane High Court found that Tshiamiso had made errors in its bid calculations that influenced the procurement process and ruled that the municipality’s award was unlawful and constitutionally invalid from the outset.
Despite this history, MMSEZ awarded Tshiamiso work in 2022. The company secured a R200-million contract to build internal roads and stormwater infrastructure at the zone’s northern site, Artonvilla.
The roads contract was terminated in 2025 after Tshiamiso had already been paid about R50.4 million. The company maintains that it is owed additional compensation for standing time and delays, a dispute that remains unresolved.
Tshiamiso also faces allegations that it unlawfully removed about R12 million worth of crushed white rock from a neighbouring landowner’s property for use in the MMSEZ roadworks. That matter is still before the Polokwane High Court.
Against this backdrop, the MMSEZ board met virtually on 29 May this year and voted, by the narrowest of margins, to give Tshiamiso the go-ahead to proceed with a further R99.3-million contract for the construction of bulk sewer and wastewater treatment works for Phase 1D of the planned MMSEZ.
The dissenting voice
Board member Sechaba Nkoana was one of five directors who opposed the award. In a formal letter of dissent, dated 1 June 2026 and addressed to the interim company secretary, Nkoana set out a detailed list of objections. Among them were the following:
* Tshiamiso had unilaterally abandoned its earlier contract in breach of the General Conditions of Contract (GCC) 2015;
* a Final Peer Review Account, dated 15 December 2025, accused the company of manipulating the arithmetic on payment certificates to inflate the amounts claimed;
* variation orders paid to the company allegedly did not comply with GCC procedural requirements; and
* Tshiamiso had released its own guarantee money held at ABSA Bank without MMSEZ’s authorisation.
Nkoana’s letter also refers to external findings. He cites a LEDA Group Internal Audit Report, dated 22 September 2025, which recorded a calculation error in the “summary of previous claims” on two payment certificates, resulting in an alleged overpayment of R2,582,589.67 (excluding VAT).
He also refers to a ruling by Judge President M.J. Phatudi in the Greater Tzaneen Municipality roads matter, in which the court found that errors in Tshiamiso’s bid calculations had contributed to the municipality unlawfully awarding the tender.
The letter further references correspondence, dated 25 September 2025, from the Director-General of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) to his Limpopo counterpart. According to Nkoana, the letter warned that challenges at MMSEZ extended beyond capacity constraints to “serious governance failures, unlawful usurpation of operator functions, flawed planning processes, possible irregular and fruitless expenditure, [and] disregard of the SEZ Act”, and cautioned that the zone risked collapse without urgent corrective action.
Intimidation allegation, criminal complaint
A separate and more serious matter has since emerged.
Nkoana alleges that, on 1 June, the same day he submitted his letter of dissent, he received a telephone call from the ANC’s provincial secretary in Limpopo, Reuben Madadzhe. According to Nkoana, Madadzhe accused him of telling the board that Madadzhe had pressured certain directors to award the stormwater contract to “his friend”, namely the contractor concerned. Nkoana further alleges that Madadzhe “threatened to fight me using his office”.
Saying he feared for his safety, Nkoana laid a criminal complaint at the Polokwane Central Police Station, alleging intimidation and corruption, under case number 2/6/2026. He told Limpopo Mirror that he suspected corruption in the awarding of the tender and felt threatened and intimidated by Madadzhe’s actions.
On 19 June, Limpopo Mirror sought confirmation from Hawks provincial spokesperson Captain Wendy Nkabi. She confirmed that the matter had been reported and transferred to the Musina Serious Corruption Investigation Unit. She said the investigation relates to allegations of corruption, with the possibility of additional charges being added.
MMSEZ declines to engage
On 15 June, Limpopo Mirror sent detailed questions to MMSEZ spokesperson Shavana Mushwana regarding the technical, financial and legal grounds for the award, the due diligence conducted on Tshiamiso’s previous performance, and the R50.4 million already paid to the company.
The newspaper also asked whether the board had been aware of prior court findings and governance concerns, what risk assessment had been undertaken given the unresolved contractual dispute, and what informed the board’s narrow majority decision.
On 17 June Mushwana replied, merely stating: “MMSEZ does not discuss internal matters in the public domain.”
MMSEZ therefore declined the opportunity to address the specific concerns raised, leaving the questions unanswered.
The ANC’s silence
On 22 June, Limpopo Mirror wrote to ANC Limpopo provincial spokesperson Tonny Rachoene, outlining the background to the Hawks investigation and posing 10 specific questions.
These included whether the ANC in Limpopo was aware of the investigation into Madadzhe; whether he had informed the party of it; whether the party had received any official communication regarding the matter; and whether the ANC intended to initiate any internal process in response.
The newspaper also asked the ANC to comment on Nkoana’s allegations that Madadzhe had attempted to influence the tender process and later intimidated him. It further asked whether the party had discussed the matter with Madadzhe and, if so, what his response had been.
Finally, Limpopo Mirror asked whether the investigation would have any bearing on Madadzhe’s position as provincial secretary.
The enquiry noted that the article was time-sensitive and requested an indication of when a response could be expected. No response was received. Follow-up requests were sent on 23 June and again on 29 June. A telephone call to Rachoene on 29 June went unanswered, as did attempts to reach him through his personal assistant.
The Hawks' investigation into Nkoana’s complaint remains ongoing, as confirmed by Captain Nkabi on Tuesday morning.
A list of questions was also sent to Mr Mohlaba, asking whether he would like to respond to the latest developments. At the time of going to press, he had not replied. Should he respond, his comment will be included in a follow-up article.
Limpopo Mirror will continue to follow developments in both matters.