United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa has asked the public protector and premier Phumulo Masualle to investigate why no action was taken on a forensic report into a dodgy R30-million tender.
Holomisa wants to know why the three-year-old preliminary report was not finalised and the alleged Bhisho officials not yet charged.
The report, by a consortium of auditors – PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Umnombo Consulting and SizweNtsalubaGobodo – alleged three senior education officials authorised payments for information technology equipment to several companies irregularly.
Holomisa supplied the same information to Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga and Hawks boss Major-General Berning Ntlemeza.
The findings revealed that:
lA company was awarded a R17.4-million tender to supply 2184 laptops in three batches with no evidence of competitive bidding as required;
l Another company appointed to provide the laptops failed to deliver 31 because “the relevant school was not prepared or fit to accommodate” them;
lA payment of more than R5.7-million was authorised by an official who had no authority to approve payments above R1-million; and that
lTwo of the three officials implicated appointed a company to provide 400 laptops worth R9.9-million in two batches although the company came third in the tender scoring process.
The report, dated October 23 2012, recommended that pending finalisation of the investigation the three officials be suspended, and the department grant permission for auditors to access their computers, cellphone and tablets for further investigations.
In his letter to public protector Thuli Madonsela, Motshekga, Ntlemeza and Masualle, Holomisa said since the preliminary report three years ago “we have not heard any decisive and resolute action by the Eastern Cape government, notwithstanding the recommendations made therein”.
Holomisa confirmed to the Dispatch yesterday that he had laid an official complaint, saying “I have forwarded to those relevant offices to address the issues of concerns I have raised”.
The investigation was instituted by the then acting education superintendent-general Mthunywa Ngonzo who was suspended in 2014, but contested it and the Bhisho High Court ruled in his favour.
Ngonzo was reinstated in December, but Masualle put him on special leave again a few weeks later. Yesterday Ngonzo accepted an out-of-court settlement to leave (see report below).
In his letter, which predates Ngonzo’s decision to leave, Holomisa said he was dismayed that Ngonzo had been suspended while the three implicated officials remained at work “before the finalisation of the forensic report”.
One of the implicated officials was alleged to be using two identity documents, with different ID numbers, suggesting possible identity fraud.
The UDM leader said he also wanted answers as to why the official was allowed to use two IDs.
“On this basis alone, your administration should have acted because it may be that in its employ there are bogus employees,” Holomisa wrote.
Provincial government spokesman Sizwe Kupelo confirmed they had received Holomisa’s correspondence.
“The issue raised by Holomisa is an internal departmental investigation. As you know, it involved a private audit firm, PwC,” Kupelo said.
“The matter is therefore the responsibility of the … MEC for education and not the premier, as Holomisa seems to suggest.”
Kupelo added that because the matter dated back to 2012, it predated Masualle’s term as premier as he took office in 2014.
“The investigation did not result from a proclamation and was not conducted by a chapter 9 institution which would have required premier’s involvement. The Hon Premier would not have incisive knowledge on the details of such an internal departmental matter,” he said.
Motshekga’s spokesman Elijah Mhlanga said the letter had not been received yet but when it arrived the minister would “consider its contents and decide on the next course”.
Holomisa queries no action on R30m graft
Holomisa wants to know why the three-year-old preliminary report was not finalised and the alleged Bhisho officials not yet charged.
The report, by a consortium of auditors – PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Umnombo Consulting and SizweNtsalubaGobodo – alleged three senior education officials authorised payments for information technology equipment to several companies irregularly.
Holomisa supplied the same information to Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga and Hawks boss Major-General Berning Ntlemeza.
The findings revealed that:
lA company was awarded a R17.4-million tender to supply 2184 laptops in three batches with no evidence of competitive bidding as required;
l Another company appointed to provide the laptops failed to deliver 31 because “the relevant school was not prepared or fit to accommodate” them;
lA payment of more than R5.7-million was authorised by an official who had no authority to approve payments above R1-million; and that
lTwo of the three officials implicated appointed a company to provide 400 laptops worth R9.9-million in two batches although the company came third in the tender scoring process.
The report, dated October 23 2012, recommended that pending finalisation of the investigation the three officials be suspended, and the department grant permission for auditors to access their computers, cellphone and tablets for further investigations.
In his letter to public protector Thuli Madonsela, Motshekga, Ntlemeza and Masualle, Holomisa said since the preliminary report three years ago “we have not heard any decisive and resolute action by the Eastern Cape government, notwithstanding the recommendations made therein”.
Holomisa confirmed to the Dispatch yesterday that he had laid an official complaint, saying “I have forwarded to those relevant offices to address the issues of concerns I have raised”.
The investigation was instituted by the then acting education superintendent-general Mthunywa Ngonzo who was suspended in 2014, but contested it and the Bhisho High Court ruled in his favour.
Ngonzo was reinstated in December, but Masualle put him on special leave again a few weeks later. Yesterday Ngonzo accepted an out-of-court settlement to leave (see report below).
In his letter, which predates Ngonzo’s decision to leave, Holomisa said he was dismayed that Ngonzo had been suspended while the three implicated officials remained at work “before the finalisation of the forensic report”.
One of the implicated officials was alleged to be using two identity documents, with different ID numbers, suggesting possible identity fraud.
The UDM leader said he also wanted answers as to why the official was allowed to use two IDs.
“On this basis alone, your administration should have acted because it may be that in its employ there are bogus employees,” Holomisa wrote.
Provincial government spokesman Sizwe Kupelo confirmed they had received Holomisa’s correspondence.
“The issue raised by Holomisa is an internal departmental investigation. As you know, it involved a private audit firm, PwC,” Kupelo said.
“The matter is therefore the responsibility of the … MEC for education and not the premier, as Holomisa seems to suggest.”
Kupelo added that because the matter dated back to 2012, it predated Masualle’s term as premier as he took office in 2014.
“The investigation did not result from a proclamation and was not conducted by a chapter 9 institution which would have required premier’s involvement. The Hon Premier would not have incisive knowledge on the details of such an internal departmental matter,” he said.
Motshekga’s spokesman Elijah Mhlanga said the letter had not been received yet but when it arrived the minister would “consider its contents and decide on the next course”.
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