Free State contractor hits back at MEC

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26-04-2022
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A Free State contractor, who is at loggerheads with the Department of Police, Roads and Transport, has hit back at the MEC after claims that the contractor had deserted the construction site.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ket Civils, Kennedy Mohapi, tells OFM News that allegations that three contracts were terminated due to the contractors abandoning the sites and non-performance, are deliberately misleading the public.

Last week, MEC William Bulwane accused the Ket Civils company, which was contracted to construct some of the roads, of abandoning the sites and trying to defraud the department of millions of rands.

Mohapi adds that in 2021, the acting Head of the Department (HOD) attempted to terminate the contracts but failed after a court order was handed down by Judge Pitso Molitsoane, who even ordered the department to pay the costs of the applicant.

EFF Provincial Secretary, Malefane Msimanga, recently told OFM News that MEC Bulwane's department allegedly made a massive advance payment of R180 million to contractors who did not do the road construction work.

“I wish to respond to the allegation levelled against Ket Civils contained in Your Media Statement made by yourself on Thursday 21 April 2022. We acknowledge your attempt to respond to the matter raised by the Media, relating to the Alleged Payments made to Tau Pele and Phezulu Plant for the 5 emergency Projects Procured in December 2021.

"The allegation that Ket Civils is terminated on the three Projects: It is Your Position that KET Civils was contracted by the department on these projects. Its contracts were terminated due to abandoning the site and non-performance….. You are deliberately misleading the public, Ntate (Mr) Bulwane,’’ he says.

He adds that the reported progress relating to Ket Civil's three contracts is untrue and the proof will be provided on Tuesday during the site inspection.

Last week, during a media briefing, Bulwane strongly opposed the allegations that his department has made an upfront payment to contractors.

"MEC (Bulwane), I wish to dispute the progress stipulated in your media statement. This information is fabricated to suit the narrative that suggests that progress in the projects corresponds with payments that have been made to the two contractors,’’ Mohapi adds.

Bulwane said: “If you check all five jobs - regarding the R165 million that we have already paid, including the site establishment money - it's far less than the actual work to conclude this project at a total of R806 million. Only R165 million was paid. It’s not true that there is money paid in advance, government can’t pay money in advance. I’ve never seen that in a number of spheres of government, I've never seen that. So, we want to dispel that notion here. I'm not going to lower myself running after the EFF because I know to them it's cheap mileage that they want. I don’t have time to waste. I will not be taking the EFF to court following these allegations against this department. Once I’ve clarified this matter with you, I am done with this one and I want to go and do my work. I'm not going to take the EFF to the court, saying they defamed us, talked bad about the department... it’s their job”.