Former acting Bojanala district municipal manager in court for R2.4 million tender fraud

Pogisho Patrick Shikwane, the former acting Bojanala district municipal manager in the North West, appeared at the Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday over the irregular awarding of a R2.4 million tender.

Shikwane, 51, was arrested on Saturday by the Hawks, and is facing two counts of contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act.

R2.4 million ICT tender

North West Hawks spokesperson, Tlangelani Rikhotso, said the accused irregularly awarded a contract to Big Time Strategic Consultants to provide information communication technology (ICT) audit services and development of an ICT strategy for the municipality for over R2.4 million.

“It is reported that Big Time Strategic Consultants was at the time appointed to render the same services at Moses Kotane Municipality where the accused previously served as a municipal manager.

“The accused allegedly obtained written consent to inherit the said contract from Moses Kotane Municipality as per Regulation 32 of 2005 of the Municipal Supply Chain Management Regulations,” said Rikhotso.

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Big Time Strategic Consultants allegedly did not provide any service at the Bojanala municipality, despite the R2.4 million being paid to the company.

It is further reported that the municipality at the time did not have a budget to contract Big Time Strategic Consultants because another company had just rendered the services at the municipality.

“Therefore the accused allegedly failed to ensure that the resources of the municipality are used effectively, efficiently and economically. He allegedly also further failed to implement the supply chain management policy,” added Rikhotso.

His bail was set at R10,000 and the case was postponed to 26 September 2022.

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