The State Information Technology Agency (Sita) has accused the Eastern Cape government of failing to follow correct procedures in its hurry to roll out a multimillion-rand broadband project.
The Sita’s executive for multi-stakeholder projects, Sithembele Senti, told the Dispatch that an Eastern Cape piggyback on the Western Cape provincial government’s broadband project had not approved by them.
“The Eastern Cape province came to us to roll out the broadband.
“They were looking for the quickest way and we told them about what we encountered with the Western Cape project and the Western Cape wrote to them telling them to come to us for advice,” said Senti.
“There is an issue of escalation costs and we need to empower locals.”
If the company given the tender in the Western Cape was also contracted by the Eastern Cape, other provinces may follow suit “and we don’t want that”, he said.
“We advised for an open tender.”
For broadband and other similar projects, the Sita is supposed to adopt a “hands-on” approach together with the national Treasury.
Documents from the Western Cape government seen by the Dispatch suggested that provincial director-general Marion Mbina-Mthembu approach Sita about piggybacking on the Western Cape tender. Her request for the piggyback was rejected by both the Sita and National Treasury.
But the province forged ahead anyway and secured the services of Liquid Telecom to do the work. To date, R228-million has been paid to the company.
In the documents the Sita, according to Senti, would not allow something to go ahead when it had been forbidden by Treasury.
“For example, we would procure for the Eastern Cape government, not them to procure from Liquid Telecom … we wrote to them back and forth and two officials from Sita were seconded to assist the Eastern Cape province in this project.
“We never authorised them to piggyback and the contract will be between the service provider and Sita,” said Senti.
Despite there being documentary proof that the premier’s office made two payments to the company, one of R171-million and one of R57-million, provincial treasury spokeswoman Nosisa Sogayise yesterday said that no money had been paid to Liquid Telecom. “No payment submission has been done … no payment submission has been presented to the Eastern Cape provincial treasury,” said Sogayise. She said the provincial treasury only paid according to the submissions presented.
Last week, provincial government spokeswoman Mandisa Titi confirmed that the project had started. —
bonganif@dispatch.co.za
Uproar over broadband project
The Sita’s executive for multi-stakeholder projects, Sithembele Senti, told the Dispatch that an Eastern Cape piggyback on the Western Cape provincial government’s broadband project had not approved by them.
“The Eastern Cape province came to us to roll out the broadband.
“They were looking for the quickest way and we told them about what we encountered with the Western Cape project and the Western Cape wrote to them telling them to come to us for advice,” said Senti.
“There is an issue of escalation costs and we need to empower locals.”
If the company given the tender in the Western Cape was also contracted by the Eastern Cape, other provinces may follow suit “and we don’t want that”, he said.
“We advised for an open tender.”
For broadband and other similar projects, the Sita is supposed to adopt a “hands-on” approach together with the national Treasury.
Documents from the Western Cape government seen by the Dispatch suggested that provincial director-general Marion Mbina-Mthembu approach Sita about piggybacking on the Western Cape tender. Her request for the piggyback was rejected by both the Sita and National Treasury.
But the province forged ahead anyway and secured the services of Liquid Telecom to do the work. To date, R228-million has been paid to the company.
In the documents the Sita, according to Senti, would not allow something to go ahead when it had been forbidden by Treasury.
“For example, we would procure for the Eastern Cape government, not them to procure from Liquid Telecom … we wrote to them back and forth and two officials from Sita were seconded to assist the Eastern Cape province in this project.
“We never authorised them to piggyback and the contract will be between the service provider and Sita,” said Senti.
Despite there being documentary proof that the premier’s office made two payments to the company, one of R171-million and one of R57-million, provincial treasury spokeswoman Nosisa Sogayise yesterday said that no money had been paid to Liquid Telecom. “No payment submission has been done … no payment submission has been presented to the Eastern Cape provincial treasury,” said Sogayise. She said the provincial treasury only paid according to the submissions presented.
Last week, provincial government spokeswoman Mandisa Titi confirmed that the project had started. —
bonganif@dispatch.co.za
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