North West govt says it followed processes when procuring R780k donkey carts

The North West department of transport says it followed the procedure when procuring the donkey carts which cost R780,000.

The department caused an uproar last week after spending R780,000 on 20 donkey carts given to villagers in the province’s Dibono and Manwana districts outside Mahikeng. 

According to the department, the villagers use this mode of transport to clinics, shops and pupils to school. Children are traveling about 20 kilometres to school in Masutlhe village.

The carts were reportedly manufactured in Lonely Park in Mafikeng and, as part of the contract; the service provider will maintain the carts for the next three years at no costs to owners.

In a media briefing on Monday, the department clarified that it followed the right processes when procuring the donkey carts.

“This was in line with Rural Transport Strategy (2016 p 37 and 38) on the Transport Policies and Strategies recommendation and support of the use of Non-Motorised Transport as a sustainable mode in rural areas,” it explained.

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“The carts were manufactured in Lonely Park village near Mafikeng by LKT BUSINESS ENTERPRICE. The Bid for the project was advertised on the 11th of February 2022 and closed on the 04th of March 2022. The advert for bidding was published on the Government Tender Bulletin, National Treasury Tender Portal.

“When the Bid closed on 04 March 2022, only 10 Bid documents were received.

“The agreement as the per contract with the company that won the bid (LKT BUSINESS ENTERPRICE) is to maintain and fix the carts for the next three years at no cost to either the owners nor the Department. The twenty carts were procured for a total of R 780 000. The 2 seater is R32 500 each and the 4 seater is R45 500.

“The bidding processes were completed within the validity period of the Bid and all applicable processes of the Section 217 of the Constitution of RSA was applied.”

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Donkey carts ‘break down after being used once’

The province’s transport department had defend itself against more criticism over the weekend following reports that some of the donkey carts given to the community broke down after being used only once.

Speaking to Newzroom Afrika on Monday evening, department spokesperson Alpheus Koonyaditse explained that it was only the roofs of some of the donkey carts that were damaged, possibly by the recent heavy rains in the province.

He said some of the carts had already been fixed.

Additional reporting by Sipho Mabena