Donkey cart saga: ActionSA to PAIA documents of tender award

17 November 2022            

ActionSA will make an application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) to get access to documents related to the controversial donkey carts.

The North West Provincial Government must come clean about how this contract was awarded. It must do so by sharing the following:

The feasibility study motivating for donkey carts over more modern alternatives;

Criteria used to select beneficiaries;

Bid Adjudication Committee’s record of decision;

Details of the successful service provider; and

The terms of the contract and the cost to the South African taxpayer.

ActionSA, last week, expressed our outrage over the awarding of this tender and the procurement of 20 donkey carts by the North West Provincial Department of Community Safety and Road Management.

We are equally perplexed by media reports that suggest the owners of LKT Business Enterprise are not aware of being awarded a tender and that their company is in the process of being deregistered which would be a clear violation of procurement policies

The owners of the LKT Business Enterprise have denied being awarded this contract. It is therefore unclear into whose bank account the R780 000 was deposited.

The Provincial Government’s decision to procure donkey carts “as a mode of transport” is absurd in the first instance. It is only made worse that the procurement thereof appears to be dubious.

We further request the North West Premier, Bushy Maape, to set the record straight and take the public into confidence as the head of the provincial administration.

The people of the North West deserve to know the truth. As such we look forward to interrogating the procurement documents in this matter. Should there be evidence of corruption, we will not hesitate to take steps to hold those responsible to account.

Issued by Kgosi Kwena Mangope, ActionSA North-West Provincial Chairperson, 17 November 2022