North West Legislature Committee on COGHSTA Calls for a Review of an Irregularly Awarded Social Development Tender

The North West Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Premier, Finance, Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs led by the Chairperson, Hon. Aaron Motswana has learnt with shock the alleged irregular awarding of R130 484 335, 86 tender in contravention of the Public Finance Management Act by the Department Social Development. The Committee will urgently write to Provincial Treasury to investigate possibility of reviewing and setting aside this tender.

According to information that the Committee is in possession of, the Social Development had on the 31st August 2022 advertised for the a panel of security companies for 36 months ( NW /DSD/07/22)but now the same tender advertised for 36 months is awarded for 18 months. On the 02nd May 2023 the department awarded ten (10) companies, six of which are based in Gauteng a tender valued at more than R130m despite being advised by Provincial Internal Audit on the 04th April 2023 against proceeding with such many inconsistencies in their bid documents.

The department had earlier in September 2022 given same ten (10) companies contracts varying at R566 000. This simply imply the adjudication process of this bid was already preconceived from September 2022. Between that time and now this companies had earned R 4 528 000 for eight month on site.

“The report of the Provincial Internal Audit is very clear on inconsistencies applied in advertising, evaluating and adjudicating this tender, we implore on the MEC for Finance, Hon. Motlalepula Rosho to pull all the stops to investigate whether there was compliance.

“This irregularity confirms the view held by majority of Members of the Provincial Legislature that companies of the North West are being deprived and throttled by their own government in favour of other provinces, the economic opportunities are exported at a grand scale,” said Hon. Motswana.

Hon. Motswana also said the Office of the Premier has to date failed to respond on how a person who in the Public Service Commission (PSC) report of 06 March 2023 possessed only a matric but suddenly had qualifications by September 2020 when he applied for a post of Head of the Department of Social Development. “The report of PSC has not been taken on review to date yet the Office of the Premier ignore that the report was adopted and tabled, it remains a House Resolution and by implications not only are we dealing with a fraudulent HOD but the Department is in contempt of Parliament,” said Hon Motswana.

For further enquiries or to arrange interviews with Hon. Motswana contact Namhla Luhabe on 079 527 0628.

Ends.
Issued by: North West Provincial Legislature: Media & Communications Unit on behalf of the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Premier, Finance, Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs – Hon. Aaron Motswana.

Regards,

Namhla Luhabe
Deputy Manager – Communications

North West Provincial Legislature
Tel : (018) 392 7000
Cell : 079 527 0628
Fax : 086 695 3784
email : namhla@nwpl.org.za
Website: www.nwpl.gov.za