Reduced ELM security contract goes to same non-performing security company
ELM says it has renewed a controversial security contract with the same company but for much less than the reported R250million - and despite massive increases in sabotage, cable and diesel theft at the municipality in recent months.
But organised business has demanded a review of the contract continuation, saying it was awarded to a non-performing company and without a professional plan to counter rampant corruption, infrastructure vandalism and protecting security guards themselves.
Municipal Manager Lucky Leseane confirmed this week that changed contract specifications had resulted in savings of up to R1,5 million per month on the 18-month contract.
Leseane declined to confirm the amount of the contract worth, but previously the Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce (GTCoC) said it had information it was worth R12 million per month.
ELM will now be continuing the contract with Wenzile Phaphama, the company which has presided over a massive increase in cable theft, diesel theft and systematic plundering of municipal infrastructure.
However, cost-cutting was now possible due to the fact that Wenzile would no longer be responsible for water and sanitation infrastructure that now fell under Rand Water, the implementing agent for the national Department of Water and Sanitation on the Vaal River sewage pollution project, said Leseane.
Klippies Kritzinger, President of the GTCoC, said the entire approach on security by ELM was problematic and in fact was clearly not aimed at resolving the massive challenges presented by heavily-armed and rich copper cartels plundering at will.
“Static security is basically throwing away the lives of underpaid and underarmed security guards who are no match for highly organised cartels – they will simply be infiltrated and the problem will worsen.
“The same is going to happen with the Vaal River sewage pollution contract where Rand Water is following a similar static approach to what government calls security,” said Kritzinger.
Kritzinger demanded more transparency by ELM on the issue and said only an intelligence-driven approach would work – static security even with armed response was hopelessly too reactive, said Kritzinger.
