Cape Town - Scorpions spokesperson Sipho Ngwema has left the unit to join his former boss, Bulelani Ngcuka, in the world of business.

He said on Tuesday he would be managing a media and communications portfolio for black-owned Amabubesi Investments, which Ngcuka chairs.

Ngwema's time at the Scorpions saw him become the public face of the unit in such high-profile cases as the Schabir Shaik trial, the R3m plea bargain agreement with Mark Thatcher, and the prosecution of the travel scam MPs.

He said he was leaving the Scorpions, "an organisation that I love very much", with mixed feelings.

"I became part of the Scorpions and the Scorpions became part of me," he said. "There are a couple of things I learned there: that one has to be principled, and have integrity."

Amabubesi last week received a shot in the arm when insurance group Old Mutual agreed to facilitate a R150m investment fund that will help the empowerment company do black economic empowerment deals more quickly.

With acknowledgements to Sapa and News24.