GAUTENG PREMIER MUST EXPLAIN R30 MILLION HIGHWAY CONTRACT AWARDED WITHOUT TENDER
Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane needs to explain her involvement in the award of a R30 million tender to "beautify" the highway leading to OR Tambo Airport without going through a proper tender process.
According to leaked documents in my possession, Ms Benedicta Monama, the head of the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport, recommended that "a sole and unsolicited proposal" be accepted from Utho Ngathi Development Corporation for the beautification of the R24 Albertina Sisulu Highway.
She justified this deviation from normal tender procedures on the basis of urgency as part of the work needed to be completed before the World Cup in June, and also that the proposal was "sound", "innovative" and "exceptionally beneficial".
The Sunday Times reports today that officials question the involvement of Mokonyane's office in the awarding of "a tender of this magnitude" (see here).
It appears that in June last year the Department was already motivating that the contract be awarded without going through a public tender with competitive bids.
Utho Ngathi's chief executive, Vuyo Daweti, reportedly proposed the beautification idea to the premier and the provincial cabinet.
The project is intended to showcase the road as the "Gateway to Africa', and involves flags, trees, landscaping and surveillance cameras.
It looks like a good idea, but how can we tell if we are getting good value for money if other firms are not allowed to tender?
R30 million is a lot of money when we are suffering from a pothole epidemic throughout the province.
It all looks highly suspicious. It seems to me that a decision on such a project could have been taken in time for normal tender procedures to go ahead.
This frankly looks like there could be favouritism to a little-known company that was only registered in April 2008.
The Gauteng Roads Department under its controversial former head Sibusiso Buthelezi was notorious for awarding contracts directly to certain companies on the basis of supposed urgency and practicalities.
Mokonyane has promised to clean up corruption and irregularities, but this deal does not look good at all.
Statement issued by Jack Bloom, MPL, Democratic Alliance Gauteng corruption spokesman, March 14 2010
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