KZN MUT ‘Opening Prayer 2020’ tender bid causes an uproar

The KwaZulu-Natal Mangosuthu University of Technology SRC has advertised a tender for a company that can organise an “opening prayer 2020” for this academic year.

The invitation, published on 28 February, unfortunately closed at midday today. The opening prayer will be held on Friday from 6pm to 10pm.

According to the tender document, the university’s SRC is looking for the bidder to provide an MC, a motivational speaker, sound system with mics and gospel artists – “Dumi Mkokstad, Khaya Mthethwa (or equivalent), Abathandwa (or equivalent)” – and decorate the venue.

Minimum requirements are a BBBEE certificate and tax clearance.

“Sealed bids, endorsed on the envelope with the applicable Bid No., the project name, closing date and time, must be deposited in the quotation box situated at procurement department, Main Campus, uMlazi. No facsimile, late or electronic bids will be accepted. The university does not bind itself to accept the lowest bid and reserves the right to accept the whole or part of any bid,” reads the document.

The tender has received criticism on social media, with most saying they could ask student religious organisations to organise the prayer.

Twitter user @AsaWalesa said: “How is someone preaching even equivalent to another? Number of years? Charisma? Same history? Wow,” while @zidhiva: “Procurement of an event management co on behalf of the SRC, when there’s students studying now who could do this, save the money.”

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