ANC welcomes R113,5 million tender review
The Western Cape ANC welcomes the High Court setting aside and ordering the re-evaluation of a R113,5 million tender to rehabilitate sewage in Cape Town (see full judgment here).
The ANC notes this is the umpteenth time a tender by die DA run metropolitan council was found to be wanting. In this case corruptive practice and irregularities rendered the process null and void as the city's bid evaluation committee did not even follow its own rules. Judge Judith Cloete gave Cape Town two weeks to re-evaluate the bid by JK Structures. The winning bidders Turboseal Services and TT Innovations did not oppose the application.
Western Cape ANC spokesperson on local government Richard Diyantyi says: "One would have expected from the ‘best run' Cape Town to have sufficiently adapted its internal workings in order to be able to stand scrutiny. But, it should be remembered that it is the same Cape Town that overshot the fixed tender prices of the new soccer stadium as well as the bus route to Blaauwberg by R5 billion which was awarded to colluding construction contractors found guilty by the Competition Commission.
"Various other funny shenanigans were also exposed in numerous High Court challenges. The DA should stop preaching to other spheres of government and sweep at its own door. It is time to practise and clean up the Cape Town act to close all loopholes."
The ANC will instruct its councillors in Cape Town to keep a close watch on the outcomes of the review and will advise bidders to upfront ask for revised rules that would close the gaps in the process.