Africa-Press – South-Africa. State capture-implicated South African poet, filmmaker, and producer Dumakude “Duma” Ndlovu is in line to be bestowed a national order by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
In March 2021, the Zondo Commission heard how Ndlovu’s company, Ambrobrite, registered as an events, communications, and project management company, was financially rewarded for giving strategic advice on procurement and introducing consultancy firm Bain & Company to political leaders, particularly former president Jacob Zuma.
Despite these revelations, the Presidency is still set to bestow Ndlovu with a national order.
This is the highest accolade the country can bestow on its citizens and eminent foreign nationals who have contributed towards the advancement of democracy and made a significant impact on improving other people’s lives.
Ramaphosa’s administration has been very vocal regarding doing all it can to ensure that justice takes its course regarding individuals implicated in state capture.
Ndlovu, also the Word of Mouth Pictures founder, is among a group of prominent people who will be bestowed with national orders by President Cyril Ramaphosa at an awards ceremony scheduled for 28 April.
On 21 October 2018, News24’s sister publication, City Press, reported that in an affidavit submitted to the Nugent Commission of Inquiry into SARS, Vittorio Massone, the former managing partner of Bain’s offices in South Africa, said he was introduced to Zuma and former SARS commissioner Tom Moyane by Ndlovu.
Massone said:
He claimed he first met Zuma on 11 August 2012 in the company of former Telkom CEO Sipho Maseko and Ndlovu in March 2021.
At the time, Ndlovu confirmed to City Press he knew Massone, but declined to comment further.
The State Capture Commission of Inquiry also heard evidence from a former partner at Bain, Athol Williams, who told of “an unusual relationship between Bain and Zuma”, which he also said, “was facilitated by a company, Ambrobrite, owned by Muvhango executive producer Duma Ndlovu and Mandla KaNozulu”.
The commission also heard more than 12 meetings were conducted behind closed doors between Bain and Zuma, the last of which was on 28 July 2014 for “strategic advice on procurement and introduction to political leaders”.
Bain, according to Williams, paid R3.6 million a year to Ndlovu and KaNozulu.
According to him, the remuneration to Ambrobrite was the highest fee paid by Bain, which was usually reserved for former CEOs and ex-public officials for their advice.
“The advisors are usually former CEOs and former public sector officials, or Bain partners like me. Even with that highly skilled, experienced profile of advisors, being paid R3.6 million a year is not what they usually pay for such advisors.
“So already, we are talking about getting advice that you normally get from experienced CEOs, and you get it from artists. You are paying artists far more than what you pay experienced CEOs,” Williams testified.
In January 2022, the commission’s chairperson and now chief justice, Raymond Zondo, recommended all state contracts with Bain be re-examined for regulatory compliance.
This after it found the firm played a central role, along with Zuma and Moyane, in the decline of the tax collection agency, rendering the institution dysfunctional.
This meant the contact between Ndlovu’s Ambrobrite would also be scrutinised.
The Zondo report also found Zuma and Moyane conspired with Bain to siphon funds out of SARS under the guise of restructuring the organisation and other state-owned entities.
Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya had not yet responded to questions from News24 on how Ndlovu was selected to receive the national orders.
His response will be added once received.
As it stands, Ndlovu is set to be honoured alongside Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis, Generations: The Legacy executive producer and creator Mfundi Vundla and Springbok captain Siya Kolisi.
Ndlovu – who has created award-winning shows, including Muvhango, Imbewu: The Seed, and Uzalo – will be awarded the prestigious Order of Ikhamanga in Silver for his work in the country’s television and film industry.
In March, the UK government announced it had lifted a ban against Bain from bidding for state work seven months after imposing the sanction.
The government initially announced the ban in August 2022.
The UK government said Bain and its affiliates outside of South Africa were no longer excluded from bidding for state work.
However, Bain SA will remain excluded until 4 January 2025, given the findings made by Zondo.
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