An angry group of service providers who are members of the Enoch Mgijima Contractors’ Forum demanded answers after a vehicle carrying personal protective equipment (PPE) meant for Komani schools recently distributed the products in Griffiths Street.
Forum chairperson Ayanda Duda said the department of education had reportedly put out a tender to supply PPE and requested service providers in this area to express interest. ‘Submissions were made and after that it was quiet. Now we see a service provider from KwaZulu–Natal making deliveries in our area. It is surprising to us because we did not see the process followed by the department and we are now challenging the fairness of this appointment.”
When The Rep arrived at the scene, the members had intercepted the vehicle which carried bottles of sanitisers and brown boxes in a trailer, halting the delivery of the products. “It was also shocking to learn that school representatives were here to fetch products for their schools on the side of the road. We would expect that the delivery would be made at the district offices or at schools, hence we suspect corruption.”
Two district officials tried to address the members, indicating that they would communicate concerns raised by the forum members to the head office. The group requested that the impasse be resolved at the Queenstown police station.
“The forum met with station commander brigadier Zuziwe Magqashela and tabled our demands. We requested the names of the 30 appointed service providers as we were told two were from our area. We want officials from the province and the district who were responsible for this tender to explain the process to us because local service providers meet the requirements,” said Duda.
A press statement issued by the Chris Hani District Business Forum condemned any process that excludes local small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs).
“The forum will request an urgent meeting with the district department to get a detailed report on the process followed in reaching the conclusion to appoint the service providers who were intercepted. We will submit our demands that no service provider from outside the district will be allowed to provide Covid-19–related service in the district and the priority to provide the required services must be given to companies from within the area where the schools are located. We wish to make it clear that we shall not allow any service provider to deliver or clean schools in the district until our demands are met,” read the statement.
Responding to questions sent by The Rep, education provincial spokesperson Loyiso Pulumani said claims that a service provider from KZN was appointed to distribute PPE to schools in the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality area were untrue. “All the service providers appointed by the department are Eastern Cape-registered entities – that was the prerequisite. We cannot help it that Eastern Cape companies source their products from other provinces which is what is likely happening, as there are few companies manufacturing sanitisers in the province. The accusation is baseless as the process was transparent and overseen by an independent auditor appointed by provincial treasury. All qualifying companies were given the nod and a chance to compete fairly. Unfortunately not all of them can be appointed at the same time. Our legal section is not aware of any letter of demand as yet.”
