Missing key documents called for in Virginia Airport bid

AFTER reviewing the bid document for the proposed development of Virginial Airport, the Democratic Alliance in eThekwini has raised concerns that certain essential documents are being hidden and concealed.

In light of this, the DA has written a letter to the eThekwini City Manager Sibusiso Sithole raising the discrepancies found and requesting missing documents.

According to North Durban councillor, Shaun Ryley, the municipality’s Supply Chain Management policy stipulates that if the accounting officer decides to consider an unsolicited bid , the decision must be made public in accordance with the Municipal Systems Act, together with reasons as to why the bid should not be open to other competitors.

“The reasons for this have not been stipulated in the proposal. This has created an air of speculation around the submission by SeaWorld Investments and how their bid came to be,” said Ryley.

He said the letter to the City Manager included a request for the minutes of any and all meetings held between the City Manager and Seaworld Investment Holdings (SIH), or any director of Seaworld Investment Holdings regarding the proposal.

“We want to know if any other companies at any point submitted proposals for the development of the site, and if so, we want to know what reasons the City Manager has in deciding that SIH is the best suited company for this bid. We will also address whether the city spent any money to date in relation to this unsolicited bid in terms of consultants, assessments, financial implications, environment implications and infrastructural implications, and if so, what these costs per item were,” he said.

The letter further questions what engagement has taken place with the owners of Beachwood Country Club to undertake development at this site in the manner that it should form part of this proposal; why the Virginia Airport operators are not listed as stakeholders that need to be engaged with when there is an expectation that they will move operations to Scottburgh; what engagement the City has undertaken with the Umdoni Municipality with regards to the proposed airport development to take place there, and which will fall under the administration of eThekwini Municipality; and what legislation allows eThekwini to administer an entity, such as the airport in Scottburgh, which is situated in another municipality.

“The DA further requests the provision of all stipulated annexures – in full – relating to the unsolicited bid as listed in the proposal notice, but which do not appear as part of the document. The urgency of which these issues need to be addressed is due to the fact that the public participation process will close on 7 November. If the city manager does not respond in the ample time provided to him, it can be safely assumed that due process has not been followed in entertaining this unsolicited bid,” said Ryley.