The Alfred Nzo District Municipality spent R173-million on projects without following normal supply chain processes.
The information is contained in a report to the municipality’s finance standing committee where more than 50 items, including three water projects, the executive mayor’s new Mercedes-Benz worth about R1-million and other items were financed through deviations in the 2014-2015 financial year.
Three water projects were the main contributors to the total deviations figure.
One of those projects was given to Zanamanzi Services for the Fobane sub-regional water supply scheme. The project cost R39-million.
The water projects are in various phases. An explanation given in the report to support the deviation was that the previous contractor in the project could not finish the work.
The second project was the KwaBhaca regional water supply scheme awarded to ML/Phumi HD Construction Joint Venture, to the tune of R78-million.
The third project was awarded to Umso Construction for the Nyokweni, Bomvini Water supply – the project cost R49-million.
Alfred Nzo communications manager Ndabuko Masumpa had not responded to questions sent on Wednesday. He could not be reached yesterday.
Mayor Eunice Diko and her deputy Sixolile Mehlomakhulu also could not be reached for comment.
According to regulations in the Municipal Finance Management Act, “a supply chain management policy may allow the accounting officer to dispense with the official procurement processes established by the policy and to procure any required goods or services through any convenient processes which may include direct negotiations but only in an emergency if such goods or services are produced or available from a single provider only”.
The Daily Dispatch could not get the deviations policy of the municipality. Opposition parties blamed the municipality’s management for the excessive deviations.
DA councillor Bandile Mbewu said the law allowed municipalities to deviate, but there seemed to be a tendency to do so “willy nilly”.
“Why did the municipality not take steps against a contractor that left the site without completing the job, instead of going ahead and appointing another?
“We are of the opinion that there are certain people within the municipality who are linked to these contractors. This is killing the municipality.
“We need to find out who is responsible for these deviations and they must pay.”
African Independent Congress councillor Ayanda Mbizafa said the municipality was not doing enough to monitor projects to make sure that contractors did their job and finished them.
“We seem to appoint contractors who are not experienced, hence we end up having some who do not finish their work. Our managers do not plan properly.” — abongilem@dispatch.co.za