No love in this 'Tender Trap'
2003-10-08 15:27
Groblersdal - An R8.5m water project that was supposed to radically transform impoverished Sekhukhuneland in Limpopo has instead sparked tender wars, political infighting, and crippled the district municipality.
Documents leaked from the municipality this week indicate that the secret war for the lucrative tender pitted powerful economic factions and their political champions against each other.
And, in the bitter fallout, the Greater Sekhukhune District Council's corruption-busting municipal manager Loraine Malebo has been suspended without charges for two months.
The Pan Africanist Congress's Nyakane Masilela, the chief opposition leader, said: "The fighting was so fierce that it has had an impact on all levels of the council.
"But, the biggest victim appears to be Malebo. She spoke out too loudly about the issue, and is now being punished.
"The most shocking thing is that the elected politicians, who are supposed to control this council, have still not been told why she has been suspended or what the charges are."
No formal charges brought
The suspension is not, however, Malebo's first.
She has been suspended twice in the past year after clashing with executive mayor Dickson Masemola on governance issues.
No formal charges have been brought, and Malebo was reinstated after the first suspension when Premier Ngoako Ramatlhodi personally intervened in February.
In July, however, Malebo was suspended, again without formal charges being lodged.
The major flashpoint between the two appears to be the R8.5m Olifantspoort South bulk water supply project in Fetakgomo.
Documents indicate that Mantjie & Alex Civils, whose director, Hendrik Maphutha, is a long-time associate of Masemola, roped in political support in its bid for the contract.
Malebo alleges the council initially wanted to ignore expert advice to reject MAC's bid, because the company had failed to provide bank guarantees, lacked experience in steel pipe construction, and had underestimated prices for materials.
The council's technical consultants, Eksteen Van der Walt & Nissen, warned that any contract with MAC would most likely result in financial problems and delays.
"When it appears they were going to ignore this warning, and appoint MAC ahead of cheaper and better-qualified bidders, I put my foot down and wrote to Masemola saying it would be suicide to use MAC," said Malebo.
"And, when I refused to bow to pressure or be manipulated, I started getting threats of dismissal."
The contract was eventually awarded to Meetse Civils, the consultant's first choice, but the war was not over.
Masemola and his manager, Joe Motene, have failed to respond to questions for more than two weeks.