JPC suspected of dodgy dealings
THE Johannesburg Property Company has recently come under public scrutiny with questions being raised on the validity of their tender processes.
This after the near eviction of the Zoo Lake Bowling Club and a protest petition, by the CraigPark community against the leasing of the Scout building on the ‘Waterfall Park’ with no community participation.
On 29 August the initial tender process for the Zoo Lake Bowling Club premises, which saw Kenako Consulting winning the bid for the premises, was declared “unconstitutional” by the High Court and the court further ruled that a valid tender process would have to be completed.
In an earlier interview with The Gazette, Ward 117 councillor Tim Truluck said one of the biggest problems with the Johannesburg Property Company was that their tender processes were not open to the public and little information was given to the public.
“The deliberation meetings, where they deliberate on merits and demerits of the tenders received should be open to the public and the media… and because this is not so, that is why we end up with all these anomalies,” said Truluck.
“The tender process should not even be about the money, but tender applications should rather be considered under what would make the community a better and safer place; who needs the premises and if the project will directly serve the community.”
Outgoing Ward 90 councillor, Gordon Mackay, agreed and emphasised that the leasing of community buildings required the support of the community and the ward councillor.
Mackay said in 2012, he was asked if he supported the leasing out of the property on Waterfall Avenue and said that although he supported the leasing of the land, there were specific conditions.
“The conditions were that it be related to the community and consider the Sunshine Centre as it works in the area and benefits the low income users in the area, specifically the children of [local] domestic workers,” he said.
Mackay said his conditions were ignored and that neither he, nor the community, were communicated with following said request.
Mackay provided a copy of the request and that of his response which support his claim.
Fanis Sardianos, executive manager for the property company’s property management, acknowledged a request to lease or sell the property would have to be sent to the ward councillor for comment.
“In this instance [Waterfall Avenue property] the ward councillor has supported the lease of the property for community purposes,”
he said.
