The City of Ekurhuleni has appointed new service providers for the supply of mobile toilets in informal settlements across the City, in line with the mission to reinstate the dignity of the people.
The metro was recently putting our fires when an amaBhungane investigation revealed that the Ekurhuleni metro apparently spent R1.9-billion on chemical toilets over three financial years from 2017 to 2019.
Mayor Mzwandile Masina dismissed the claims that the City had spent R1.9-b. The amount, he said, was R872-million. He further stated that there was no corruption in the awarding of the tender.
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According to Nhlanhla Cebekhulu, metro’s divisional head communication and media relations, said the new service providers will render the service between July 1 and June 20, 2022.
“The City appointed all 15 qualifying service providers that met all the conditions of the bid out of a total of 229 applications,” said Cebekhulu.
“The intention was to appoint a maximum of 20 but only the 15 qualified and thus were all appointed. This followed after an inspection was undertaken by the City for all bidders that passed the general criteria of the bid to determine that they have capacity in line with the mandatory requirements and the specification – and they did.
“These companies will invoice the municipality as per the rates approved in the bid document.”
Cebekhulu said it must be emphasised that it was the responsibility of the bidders to comply with the conditions of the bid.
“The conditions of the bid stipulated that the services providers must provide toilets for people with disabilities; they must attach the cleaning schedule for all the toilets on the door of each toilet; and that they provide the City with a laboratory test certificate for the chemicals to be used in the toilet tanks.
“All service providers are appointed following supply chain management processes that are highly regulated and transparent. The City prides itself as a leader in the introduction of the public adjudication process, which is informed by our stance to undertake a transparent procurement process at all times.
“We are looking forward to high levels of professionalism on the side of the contractors who have all signed inspection forms for the number of toilets on site.”
The City further appealed to communities, beneficiaries and community leaders among others to assist the municipality render a quality service to the people by reporting vandalism, them and anything sinister that may jeopardise the rendering of this service to the people.
“The City has a constitutional responsibility to provide basic services to communities such as water and sewer within a formalised township with the intention of building houses later as and when Gauteng Department of Human Settlements allocate budget to the City of Ekurhuleni to build houses.”
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