LIMPOPO – The DA has filed a complaint with the Public Protector to probe the more than R230 million water project tenders that were halted in the Sekhukhune District Municipality while the manner in which the tenders were awarded to 15 companies was investigated.
According to the DA, the tender was irregularly awarded to the 15 companies even though they all failed to produce Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) credentials and audited financial statements.
The projects were supposed to have been completed in the following villages:
• Ga-Moloi water reticulation (Makhuduthamaga Municipality) – R40 million.
• Ga-Maphopha command reservoir (Tubatse Municipality) – R34 447 266.
• Ga-Maphopha, Ga-Malekana, Ga-Masha, Ga-Mapea water reticulation (Elias Motsoaledi Municipality) – R20 million.
• Zaaiplaas connector pipes ( Tubatse Municipality) – R27 929 592.
• Oliphants connector pipes (Elias Motsoaledi Municipality) – R13.3 million.
• Tafelkoop water reticulation and cost recovery system (Elias Motsoaledi Municipality) – R15 616 670.
• Sekwati water supply Ext. phase 4 (Makhuduthamaga Municipality) – R29 007 406.
“Residents in all these villages have been without water for almost five years and are now forced to share water with animals in the river because of tender irregularities in their respective municipalities,” said Jacques Smalle, DA Limpopo leader.
The report released by national treasury has requested the municipality to put these MIG projects on hold and re-advertise the tenders, Smalle added.
“The DA urges the municipality to accelerate the process of re-advertising these tenders to ensure Sekhukhune residents get clean running water. In the meantime, the municipality must provide water tanks to the residents as an interim measure to avoid drinking contaminated water from the river and streams.
“The DA will further engage the MEC for cooperative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs, Makoma Makhurupetje to blacklist all these 15 companies and ensure government investigates them and remove their names from the database and take decisive action against implicated officials,” concluded.
