EFF statement on the Democratic Alliance Western Cape 1.2 billion tender fraud
18 November 2024
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) strongly condemns the outrageous and criminal behaviour by the Democratic Alliance (DA) led Western Cape Government involving a R1.2 Billion tender. The findings in a report presented in the National Assembly, lay bare a web of corruption, collusion, and abuse of power by officials within the Western Cape Government and SITA (State Information Technology Agency).
The report details four serious irregularities in the awarding of a tender worth R1.2 Billion to the company called Blue Networks Consortium (BNC) to provide IT related services for schools in the Western Cape. It reveals the direct involvement of DA Western Cape Government officials who were part of the adjudicating process at SITA These officials, in collusion with some members of the SITA board, unlawfully manipulated the tender process to benefit BNC, while sabotaging others.
Not only did they illegally disqualify a company called Dimension Data, which had met all the requirements, but they also went as far as to interfere with the tender documentation of other non-compliant bidders. Their excuse? A claim that they were "assisting" the non-compliant companies to become compliant by altering their documents, based on what they "believed" the bidders' intentions were. This is a flagrant abuse of office and a clear violation of tender laws and regulations.
This scandal is yet another example of how the Western Cape Government, under the control of the DA, has become a breeding ground for corrupt officials who collude to defraud the state and steal from the people of South Africa. The brazen manner in which they manipulate tenders to serve their personal interests not only exposes their disregard for the law, but also demonstrates the extent to which they are willing to go to maintain their grip on power and financial resources.
What makes this situation even more troubling is the conduct of the DA Minister of Communications, Solly Malatsi, who has failed to act on the findings of the report. Despite being presented with clear evidence of fraud, Malatsi has refused to offer any meaningful response or even to provide an opinion on what steps the Department of Communications has taken in response to the revelations. His silence speaks volumes about his complicity in this corruption and raises serious questions about his ability or willingness to hold his colleagues accountable.
Even more disturbing is the Minister's decision to reinstate the very board members of SITA who were suspended in connection with this fraud. The reappointment of these individuals, despite their involvement in this scandal, is an indication of how deeply entrenched corruption has become within the DA-led government. It is a clear message that the DA is more interested in protecting corrupt officials and covering up crimes than in serving the interests of the people. This behaviour is unacceptable and must be condemned in the strongest terms.
The EFF has long warned of the deep corruption within the Western Cape Government, and this latest scandal confirms our worst fears. It is now abundantly clear that the DA is not interested in transparency, accountability, or good governance. Their priority is to protect their own, even when faced with overwhelming evidence of criminal activity.
In fact, the DA has proven once again that they are no different from the ANC when it comes to corruption, hence they now sleep in the same bed. A marriage of corruption called the Government of National Unity (GNU).
The EFF calls for an immediate and thorough audit of all tenders awarded by SITA in the last past 5 years. It is critical that we identify the full scale of corruption and stop the looting of public funds that should be going towards the development of our communities, rather than enriching the politically connected.
Issued by Leigh-Ann Mathys, National Spokesperson, EFF, 18 November 2024
