CORRUPTION WATCH CALLS FOR AN INVESTIGATION INTO NEO AFRICA'S TENDER DEALINGS WITH GOVERNMENT
Corruption Watch is calling for a review of every public sector tender involving Neo Solutions - now known as Neo Africa - a company exposed in today's City Press and alleged to have bribed senior government officials in exchange for securing state tenders (see here).
The exposé comes after a whistle-blower approached Corruption Watch with evidence including secret recordings implicating Neo Solutions.
Corruption Watch executive director, David Lewis said that the revelations in today's City Press constituted a strong case for an official investigation into Neo Africa.
"We firmly believe that further investigation into Neo Africa will uncover irregularities in its dealings with government. We would like to see the law enforcement authorities and the Public Protector systematically review every public sector tender in which Neo Africa and its associated companies have featured whether as project managers, forensic investigators or human resources consultants".
As reported in the City Press, Neo Africa was hired by the Limpopo education department to investigate allegations of serious irregularities surrounding the textbook-procurement contract given to EduSolutions. Corruption Watch has reasons to believe that Neo Africa played a "pivotal role in sanitising the tender given to Edu-Solutions to manage the supply of text books in Limpopo". In that instance Neo Solutions also recommended the dismissal of the whistle blower, Solly Tshitangano.
Lewis said Corruption Watch planned to formally ask the Public Protector to investigate Neo Solution's dealings with government.
"We will be strongly advocating for action on this case as it appears that senior people in the company have been engaged in questionable conduct with public officials. As we have seen with the Limpopo text book scandal, this is happening at a huge cost to public service, and particularly to the most disadvantaged sectors of the population who rely on public goods and services," said Lewis.
Statement issued by David Lewis, Corruption Watch, August 19 2012
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