Public Protector Thuli Madonsela will unleash her investigative hounds on the highly questionable R631-million Eastern Cape toilet contract.
Madonsela was called in to probe the colossal tender, given to Siyenza Group last year by Amathole district municipality (ADM).
Yesterday her office confirmed she was officially on the case. But work would not start immediately.
“She wrote to interested parties on Monday informing them of her decision,” said spokesman Oupa Segalwe.
“But the investigation will not commence immediately due to resource constraints. Our investigators’ hands are still full and they will focus on finalising old matters before attending to new complaints.”
The Dispatch has exposed the controversial deal in a series of reports which showed how millions of rands went to the company without the usual procurement processes being followed.
We also revealed how the company was linked to children and relatives of the ANC’s top leaders.
The reports reached parliament and yesterday the DA’s Mmusi Maimane said the public protector had written to him, confirming that her governance and integrity branch would investigate.
Siyenza Group was awarded the tender to build 66000 toilets. ADM said it had invoked a section of supply chain management regulations, which they said allowed them to select Siyenza.
ADM spokesman, Siyabulela Makunga said they would only be able to respond once Madonsela’s investigation had been finalised.
“The ADM believes it is in in everyone’s best interest and not simply in the interest of selling newspapers, that the independent and credible institutions of the Auditor-General and PP, be allowed to finish their work before further comment is made.
“Once this is done, the ADM will once again gladly answer media queries in respect of the programme.”
An advert with similar wording is carried on this page today.
Dispatch investigations found there was no record of the Siyenza Group being registered with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, nor is there a record of the company being registered with the Construction Industry Development Board, a requirement for any construction company involved in projects in the public sector.
Funding comes from the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). It has disbursed R286-million so far, Maimane said in a statement.
“The DBSA also confirmed that they had not attached any timeline or deadline to the funding provided to ADM for the project.
“This directly contradicts the claim by ADM that they awarded the contract to Siyenza under Section 32 of the Supply Chain Management Regulations due to the time constraints imposed on them by DBSA.”
So far R114-million has been paid to Siyenza Group. The first payment was made in September last year when R31-million was paid with an additional R61-million paid in December.
Despite these large payments, progress on the ground is slow and toilets are collapsing in some places.
With a June deadline looming, villagers of Tshoxa in Keiskammahoek are now refusing to allow a contractor to build the toilets in their village.
They have demanded a total of 680 toilets, while the contractor, M&M Agencies, is only putting up 53.
Since Saturday two trucks were stopped from delivering slabs. Drivers were told to offload the materials on a sports field.
Village youth leader, Sibusiso Sitenge, said the contractor told them they were under pressure to deliver before the end of the month.
“We really don’t care if they are under pressure or not, all we want is enough toilets for the benefit of all the residents in our village.”
Lwazi Ntanta, of M&M Agencies, confirmed “minor disagreements” with villagers. He downplayed the protests, saying: “It was just a one-day thing and it has since been solved” — siphem@dispatch.co.za / bonganib@dispatch.co.za
Protector to probe toilet deal
Madonsela was called in to probe the colossal tender, given to Siyenza Group last year by Amathole district municipality (ADM).
Yesterday her office confirmed she was officially on the case. But work would not start immediately.
“She wrote to interested parties on Monday informing them of her decision,” said spokesman Oupa Segalwe.
“But the investigation will not commence immediately due to resource constraints. Our investigators’ hands are still full and they will focus on finalising old matters before attending to new complaints.”
The Dispatch has exposed the controversial deal in a series of reports which showed how millions of rands went to the company without the usual procurement processes being followed.
We also revealed how the company was linked to children and relatives of the ANC’s top leaders.
The reports reached parliament and yesterday the DA’s Mmusi Maimane said the public protector had written to him, confirming that her governance and integrity branch would investigate.
Siyenza Group was awarded the tender to build 66000 toilets. ADM said it had invoked a section of supply chain management regulations, which they said allowed them to select Siyenza.
ADM spokesman, Siyabulela Makunga said they would only be able to respond once Madonsela’s investigation had been finalised.
“The ADM believes it is in in everyone’s best interest and not simply in the interest of selling newspapers, that the independent and credible institutions of the Auditor-General and PP, be allowed to finish their work before further comment is made.
“Once this is done, the ADM will once again gladly answer media queries in respect of the programme.”
An advert with similar wording is carried on this page today.
Dispatch investigations found there was no record of the Siyenza Group being registered with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, nor is there a record of the company being registered with the Construction Industry Development Board, a requirement for any construction company involved in projects in the public sector.
Funding comes from the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). It has disbursed R286-million so far, Maimane said in a statement.
“The DBSA also confirmed that they had not attached any timeline or deadline to the funding provided to ADM for the project.
“This directly contradicts the claim by ADM that they awarded the contract to Siyenza under Section 32 of the Supply Chain Management Regulations due to the time constraints imposed on them by DBSA.”
So far R114-million has been paid to Siyenza Group. The first payment was made in September last year when R31-million was paid with an additional R61-million paid in December.
Despite these large payments, progress on the ground is slow and toilets are collapsing in some places.
With a June deadline looming, villagers of Tshoxa in Keiskammahoek are now refusing to allow a contractor to build the toilets in their village.
They have demanded a total of 680 toilets, while the contractor, M&M Agencies, is only putting up 53.
Since Saturday two trucks were stopped from delivering slabs. Drivers were told to offload the materials on a sports field.
Village youth leader, Sibusiso Sitenge, said the contractor told them they were under pressure to deliver before the end of the month.
“We really don’t care if they are under pressure or not, all we want is enough toilets for the benefit of all the residents in our village.”
Lwazi Ntanta, of M&M Agencies, confirmed “minor disagreements” with villagers. He downplayed the protests, saying: “It was just a one-day thing and it has since been solved” — siphem@dispatch.co.za / bonganib@dispatch.co.za
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