Tender case may involve more officials

more officials in the local government and traditional affairs department are likely to be hauled before disciplinary hearings in connection with the aborted multi-million tender aimed to support ailing municipalities.

“as part of disciplinary hearings it emerged that some other employees may have been affected.

“we have charged one other individual in addition to two (others). we are proceeding with that particular matter,” superintendent-general (sg) stanley khanyile said at a press conference yesterday.

last year the department suspended chief financial officer malizo putu and senior manager for the supply chain, lunathi makapela.

this was after the tender, which was initially priced at r17.9m and soared to r66m within six months, was allegedly irregularly awarded to 33 companies during the era of former mec toko xasa and former sg sindisile maclean.

the tender was awarded in february 2009 as part of turn-around strategy instituted when then-premier mbulelo sogoni took over from nosimo balindlela, who was sacked in 2008.

khanyile said putu and makapela were still on suspension and had gone through the disciplinary hearing. “the disciplinary matter of cfo and senior manager for supply chain management was concluded on july 29,” he said.

“all that is left is for the presiding officer to give a verdict and judgment,” khanyile said.

khanyile also announced that the case in connection with cancellation of the r66m tender was still in court.

in may the department was slapped with summons for damages by 19 of the 33 service providers whose contracts were arbitrarily cancelled.

“we are in a process of defending the matter,” khanyile said.”

he added the department had since lodged an application to have the service providers’ contracts declared invalid, but the service providers had asked to be given an opportunity to seek legal opinion.


khanyile also said the provincial treasury has allocated the department r30m to appoint 30 specialists on a two- year contract to lend hands-on support to 25 municipalities in various areas.

the funding forms part of the operation clean audit, which seeks to ensure by 2014 that all councils have clean audit reports.

khanyile also said the department had again obtained a clean audit report from the auditor-general for the 2009- 10 financial year.

by mayibongwe maqhina