A probe has found that payments were made from listed ICT firm EOH's public sector head Jehan Mackay to certain politically exposed persons over a period of two years, the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into State Capture heard.

ENSafrica Forensics head, Steven Powell on Wednesday appeared before the commission, led by deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo to provide evidence from the probe it conducted for ICT firm EOH.

EOH had commissioned ENSafrica in 2019 to investigate possible irregularities in a contract between the company and the department of defence related to the licensing of Microsoft software. According to testimony provided by EOH CEO Stephen van Coller, the probe was initiated after the American software firm issued a cancellation notice, barring it from reselling software licences due to alleged irregularities reported by a whistleblower. The investigation confirmed the irregularities, Powell said.

EOH similarly mandated ENSafrica to look into a similar contract with the department of water and sanitation related to SAP licences.

Given the irregularities detected in the department of defence contracts - where EOH was found to have over-invoiced licences, which were not delivered and also flouted procurement procedures by circumventing SITA, the state agency which handles procurement for IT services, regarding the contract.

Powell said that van Coller then asked ENSafrica to look into all significant public sector contracts to make sure there were not similar issues. ENSafrica had flagged issues related to the City of Johannesburg - current executive mayor Geoff Makhubo will provide testimony on this matter on Friday, News24 reported.

Powell said ENSafrica found details of payments made to Makhubo and a firm Molelwane Consulting, in which he held directorship as recently as 2019.

ENSafrica is also assisting the Commission by providing information on certain individuals and entities - what the forensic firm found is that a number of irregularities occurred between 2014 and 2017. Media reports on EOH, coincided with a "curtailment of "mischief", Powell noted.

In his testimony Powell detailed the findings of an analysis of Mackay's FNB account, indicating "suspicious" payments from between May 2015 to June 2017 to former ANC national spokesperson and current deputy minister of state security Zizi Kodwa. Another individual, Siyabulela Sintwa, the former PA to former President Jacob Zuma also received payments. A payment of R500 000 was made to Reggie Nkabinde, treasurer-general of the ANC youth league, it was referenced as a loan. The payments totalled just over R1 million.

The transfers also coincided with deposits made from a company TSS-MS, into Mackay's account. Mackay is the managing director of Tactical Software Systems - Managed Services (TSS MS).

Powell said Mackay "features in quite a few email and documents and was one of key roleplayers in irregularities highlighted." TSS MS was acquired by EOH back in 2011.

Powell's testimony continues.

Source: News24