The co-founder and CEO of Waste Partners, Thabang Moeng, has rubbished allegations that he was a hitman and that he intimidates his competitors.
This comes after businessman Bongani Nhlapo accused Moeng, together with his employee, of threatening him after he demanded payment of over R2 million by the Waste Partners company.
However, Moeng told The Star that his company did not have a contract with Nhlapo but had a “verbal agreement” with him. He disputed that he owed him R2m.
“There is no payment dispute between Nhlapo and ourselves. We are not going to get into the details of our arrangement in the media because we respect his organisation.
“We don’t owe Nhlapo R2m, that one must be clear. In a normal commercial environment, whenever there is any payment dispute, there must be a demand from an aggrieved party, and it must be in a form of letter or court proceedings. So as things stand, we don’t have such from this gentleman,” the Waste Partners CEO added.
He explained why his general manager of operations, Sibusiso Mashiyane, went to the site where Nhlapo blocked his trucks from working.
Moeng said there was no way that Mashiyane would have a conversation with Nhlapo about payment as that was not part of his job.
Detailing how things unfolded on the day, Mashiyane said upon arriving at the scene he asked why the trucks were being stopped from working. He was told they were not paid, but he told them that he can’t have a meeting on the streets.
“My discussion was based on operations and I said to them we need to have a boardroom discussion. Even the councillor was there, only because his ward was affected by the blockage (preventing) trucks from removing refuse,” he added.
Moeng also poured cold water on assertions that the alleged “hitman” who Nhlapo insinuated was Moeng’s “goon”, was actually a subcontractor who was at the scene as his truck was also blocked.
“We are told we brought Madela as a ‘hitman’. That’s a lie. Madela is a subcontracter. He was there because Bongani (Nhlapo) blocked his truck as well.
“Our truck is blocked in the road, and it was not the first time that Nhlapo has blocked our trucks. My understanding is that Bongani has being recruiting some contractors to work against us for whatever issues. We have always had a problem with Nhlapo,” he said.
Moeng said they worked with Nhlapo despite knowing his bullying character, but did so to avoid chaos on the ground.
He alleged that Nhlapo was a real “tender mafia”.
“I am fearing for my life, because he is still threatening me as we speak. I am currently working from home. I am constantly leaving in fear because of this guy. When we started this project, there was chaos, created by him, and yet we are being referred as ‘mafias’.”
Moeng has opened a case of intimidation against Nhlapo and has also applied for a protection order against him at the Thokoza police station.
He said that due to the incident of intimidation, the company had to terminate their agreement.
In an email written by Mashiyane, he explained to Nhlapo the reasons why the company had cancelled their agreement.
“Good evening Mr Nhlapo
“I hope this email finds you well.
“Please note that we have received your invoices and Finance is aware of the statement.
“Thank you for your services and for assisting as a subcontractor and that due to the incident of intimidation of our employees and holding our truck hostage and the degrading statements about the company, kindly note that we will not be requiring your services going forward. We would rather prioritise settling your outstanding payments once the city pays.
“The relevant department will be in contact with you as per the agreement made earlier this year,” the email read.
However, Nhlapo denied ever causing any chaos, saying that he had never called Moeng to threaten him.
“It was a peaceful protest of financial dispute. I’m also the one who made an efforts to invite MCC Mketsu to mediate. I've never threatened anyone.
“If I were to be punished it’s for blocking his one truck for few hours, but his six other trucks were on site working without interference.
“I also wish to place it on record that Thabang Moeng himself will instruct us to stop the services and leave the township dirty for a week when he is not paid by the municipality. I did what he taught me. How can I threaten able-bodied people while I am paraplegic, wheelchair-bound for more than 30 years,” Nhlapo said.
He added that he had worked with Waste Partners for more than two years without a formal contract or a service level agreement (SLA).
“Don’t you find it strange as to why in a business worth millions and millions of rand, there’s no formal contract. It’s for you to draw your conclusion. In business which involves such money there should be a SLA which guide us in the event that disputes arise.”
He said that in his decades of working in waste management, this was the first time that he had worked without a contract or SLA.
Thokoza resident Mamoya Mphuthi described Moeng as an upright philanthropist who genuinely cared for his community and his employees.
Mphuthi said Moeng also had a church that looked after community, schoolchildren and young people in Ekurhuleni.
“Moeng and his partners are kind-hearted people. His congregation gets food at church every Sunday after the service. He supports a lot of business around here that I know of,” the resident added.
Moeng also showed The Star a series of payments that the company made to Nhlapo’s company, with the last payment being made on August 16, 2024.
When asked about this payment, Nhlapo acknowledged that he had received it.
The Star