The Johannesburg-based company that installed a new R2.2-million telephone system in the Office of the Premier (OTP) has been paid in full, according to documents seen by the Dispatch – but the public still can’t make calls to the premier.
During a portfolio committee meeting at the Bhisho legislature last week, however, OTP senior officials denied the company had been paid in full, even though committee chair Sicelo Gqobana confirmed he had a copy of the proof of payment. The officials claimed Internet Solutions had not yet been “paid a cent” and would only be paid once all telephones were fully operational.
Earlier this month the Dispatch reported that telephone calls to premier Phumulo Masualle’s office have gone unanswered for more than five months due to a technical glitch. This was because the listed landlines have been “out of order” since last November after a new system was installed and the old numbers made redundant.
Various callers, including service providers, other government departments, municipalities and students financially supported by the institution, were struggling to get hold of staff in the office as they were never told of a change in telephone numbers.
More than five months after that challenge surfaced, OTP issued a statement saying their old 040-prefix numbers were “inaccessible” because OTP “was moving with (the) times by improving their communication technology”.
At the time, spokeswoman Mandisa Titi said this was a temporary measure and that stakeholders would be informed “once telephone lines have been restored”.
She gave a list of various 087-prefix telephone numbers the public and stakeholders could use to contact OTP “in the meantime”.
Documents in possession of the Dispatch show that the 24-month contract for installation and maintenance was awarded in June 2014 to Johannesburg-based Internet Solutions (Pty) Ltd at a “ceiling price” of R2.2-million.
A “proof of service/goods received” voucher was signed by OTP on March 19 2015, with the proof of payment – numbered 001309316 – showing that the entire payment was made on March 25.
In the portfolio committee meeting this week, it transpired that the old listed 040-prefix numbers were still not operating, with Gqobana asking officials to explain why the full contract payment was made while there were still challenges.
Acting DG Nomawethu Ngcakani denied paying the company, saying only a “commitment to pay” had been made.
“We have only made a commitment to pay. In terms of our records we have not paid. The reason why I know this is because I am the one who said before we pay we must see the phones working in a manner that will satisfy us.”
However, Gqobana said: “I’m in possession of a one-page document that shows that you have already paid, but I will share that with you later. But if that payment has indeed happened, it will be a problem.”
The company’s Gerhard Weideman could not be reached at the time of writing. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
Premier still not on phone after upgrade
The Johannesburg-based company that installed a new R2.2-million telephone system in the Office of the Premier (OTP) has been paid in full, according to documents seen by the Dispatch – but the public still can’t make calls to the premier.
During a portfolio committee meeting at the Bhisho legislature last week, however, OTP senior officials denied the company had been paid in full, even though committee chair Sicelo Gqobana confirmed he had a copy of the proof of payment. The officials claimed Internet Solutions had not yet been “paid a cent” and would only be paid once all telephones were fully operational.
Earlier this month the Dispatch reported that telephone calls to premier Phumulo Masualle’s office have gone unanswered for more than five months due to a technical glitch. This was because the listed landlines have been “out of order” since last November after a new system was installed and the old numbers made redundant.
Various callers, including service providers, other government departments, municipalities and students financially supported by the institution, were struggling to get hold of staff in the office as they were never told of a change in telephone numbers.
More than five months after that challenge surfaced, OTP issued a statement saying their old 040-prefix numbers were “inaccessible” because OTP “was moving with (the) times by improving their communication technology”.
At the time, spokeswoman Mandisa Titi said this was a temporary measure and that stakeholders would be informed “once telephone lines have been restored”.
She gave a list of various 087-prefix telephone numbers the public and stakeholders could use to contact OTP “in the meantime”.
Documents in possession of the Dispatch show that the 24-month contract for installation and maintenance was awarded in June 2014 to Johannesburg-based Internet Solutions (Pty) Ltd at a “ceiling price” of R2.2-million.
A “proof of service/goods received” voucher was signed by OTP on March 19 2015, with the proof of payment – numbered 001309316 – showing that the entire payment was made on March 25.
In the portfolio committee meeting this week, it transpired that the old listed 040-prefix numbers were still not operating, with Gqobana asking officials to explain why the full contract payment was made while there were still challenges.
Acting DG Nomawethu Ngcakani denied paying the company, saying only a “commitment to pay” had been made.
“We have only made a commitment to pay. In terms of our records we have not paid. The reason why I know this is because I am the one who said before we pay we must see the phones working in a manner that will satisfy us.”
However, Gqobana said: “I’m in possession of a one-page document that shows that you have already paid, but I will share that with you later. But if that payment has indeed happened, it will be a problem.”
The company’s Gerhard Weideman could not be reached at the time of writing. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
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