A Sunday Times investigation has identified the company that funded former Ekurhuleni city manager Imogen Mashazi’s private jet trip to London in July 2022.According to documents reviewed by the newspaper, XET Solutions financed the R3.

35 million charter flight, which carried Mashazi, her husband Bonginkosi Raymond Mashazi and another couple from Lanseria Airport to Farnborough Airport near London.The flight was arranged through businessman Ze Nxumalo and charter operator Onyx Aviation.Financial records reportedly show that XET Solutions transferred R5.75 million to Nxumalo’s company, ZIG Revenue Management, shortly before payments were made to Onyx Aviation for the charter.

Nxumalo acknowledged arranging the flight but said he did so on behalf of businessman Ntokozo Xaba and claimed he only later learned that Mashazi would be travelling on the aircraft.He stated that the difference between the amount received and the charter cost was retained as commission.

XET Solutions has received multiple contracts from the Ekurhuleni metro during Mashazi’s tenure as municipal manager and remains a contractor to the municipality.

While the exact value of the Ekurhuleni contracts has not been publicly disclosed, sources cited in the report estimate that payments to the company exceeded R100 million.The company has also secured contracts worth approximately R170 million from eThekwini Municipality.

XET Solutions denied that the flight constituted any form of improper benefit or gratification and said it follows strict corporate governance and ethics policies.

The report also revisits criticism of Mashazi’s conduct before the Madlanga Commission, where she faced scrutiny over allegations of governance failures, corruption oversight and misconduct investigations during her time leading the municipality.