Tlokwe local entrepreneurs against irregular tender awarding

Tlokwe Local Entrepreneurs’ spokesperson, Fula Malefane says the members are unhappy with the municipality’s preferential treatment of outside contractors and service providers.

“The municipal manager (MM) awards tenders to outsiders instead of partnering with local people; our people should be given opportunities for growth. “Major tenders have been awarded illegally,” he objected.

Malefane was referring to a shady deal involving a certain security company, as well as a project on the Carletonville road worth R17 million.

“Private property is being developed with the money of the municipality,” he alleges. While he says Tlokwe has still not responded adequately to their concerns, the spokesperson in the mayor’s office, Victor Boqo says the executive mayor, the chief whip and the MM have met with the Tlokwe Local Entrepreneurs on numerous occasions and have responded to their demands. He did admit, however, that, “we still have to meet them again and finalise how we can assist them best.”

“The mayor, Mr Kgotso Khumalo explained that their demands are receiving attention. He has asked the MEC of Human Settlements to intervene and see how the province can assist in empowering our local business people when houses are being built. Tlokwe municipality commits itself, at all times, to the economic empowerment of our local people,” he said. “For the past three years, we have empowered young, up-and-coming local business people with skills training through the Vukuophile Project, which amounts to millions. They have carried out various projects like paving, storm water and water reticulation. This clearly shows how committed we are as an institution,” he proclaimed.

“Currently, through our good performance and spending our municipal infrastructure grant, the treasury has pumped another R30 million [into our coffers for infrastructure projects to empower our local business people,” he said.

Fula stressed that they are not fighting the ANC but the system in place in Tlokwe. He wants the councillors to either approve the adjustment budget or go without their salaries.

“We will even take them to court on this issue because our people and SMMEs (small, medium and micro-sized enterprises) are suffering.”

According to Dewald van Breda and Johan Janse van Rensburg of Potch-Tlokwe Chamber of Commerce, the organisation has already discussed the issue of empowering local contractors with the mayor.

“We took a decision to establish an advisory committee to successfully manage the issues that were raised. The committee, representing business people, people from the local community and experts can, and will, assist the mayor with similar issues.

“For the Potch-Tlokwe Chamber of Commerce, it is important that we are included in the process since our resources are being used. Some of the propositions from the Chamber’s side include a structure that must be upheld to ensure that money and resources stay in Potchefstroom. In other words, it makes provision for local business people to benefit from the expenditure of local government. This is the only way to address unemployment in our communities and create wealth and welfare in local communities,” they said.

They were adamant that the quality of work done by contractors must be assessed to make sure that the monetary value is equivalent to the quality of the work done.

“A lot of resources go to waste when incompetent people without the necessary know-how are appointed. The council must ensure that the correct purchasing/acquisition procedures are followed.

The objectives of the Potch-Tlokwe Chamber of Commerce are to assist all business owners and empower emerging businessmen. We want to ensure that more businesses are established in Potchefstroom and would prefer to limit the use of contractors from ‘outside’.

We believe that unemployment can be addressed through cooperation with local government through knowledge sharing and empowerment,” they concluded.