Alarm after probed firm wins tenders

The Bolsheviks party in Limpopo has written to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) asking for investigations into allegations of political polarisation in the awarding of tenders in the embattled Sekhukhune district municipality.

According to a letter sent to the SIU by the party last month, a firm called Maunyatlala Shankwana (Pty) Ltd was awarded three multimillion-rand projects in three months, in spite of being under investigation for alleged tender irregularity by the SIU.

Acting Bolsheviks general-secretary Seun Mogotji said it had called for the expertise of the SIU after the company was awarded more projects than any other, while other companies with similar gradings were not considered.

“The company was awarded a R2.1 million contract for drilling boreholes in June this year. This was followed by another R17 million contract for the purchase of water pipes from China in July. The company was then awarded another contract for R8 million to build a municipal district chamber in Groblersdal,” said Mogotji.

“The irregular appointments, contravened the supply chain management policies as the tender was not advertised. This they said was because all companies appointed were hand-picked from the municipal data base.

“We suspect this company has links with the executive mayor Stan Ramaila and member of the mayoral committee [MMC] for water and infrastructure development, Mbusi Mahlangu,” he said.

Both Ramaila and Mahlangu denied the claims. Director for Maunyatlala Shikwana Nkosinathi Maunye said the allegations were devoid of truth.

“These people are jealous of my success. I got a bursary from Eskom where I was taught about bidding, pricing and the general tendering process and supply chain management processes. That is why I beat them in pricing,” he said.

“I have no relationship with the executive mayor or the MMC.”

Municipal spokesperson Willy Mosoma said: “… all our contractors have been appointed legitimately. Our political principals do not sit in any tender committee. They meet many people, some they know and others they don’t.

“We must allow this credible body [SIU] to finalise its investigations.”

The SIU recently said that its investigations were nearing completion.