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MEC (Cathy Dlamini), ama officials akho agangile, atshontshile (your officials have been naughty, they have stolen public funds). – Mpumalanga Scopa chairperson, Desmond Moela.

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Sizwe sama Yende

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Mpumalanga legislature members were shocked at how education officials bent rules and procedures to issue tenders worth about R15 million for renovating offices, schools, and fencing.

The Select Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) kicked off its investigation on October 14 into these tenders at Ehlanzeni district following The People’s Eye exposé on how prices for renovating a guardhouse and fencing offices at the district’s offices were inflated.

The Scopa investigation has so far revealed that:

·      Officials changed and added more work that was not specified in the bill of quantities, forcing the department to incur unauthorised expenditure;

·      Instead of installing meranti doors on the guardhouse, officials changed the scope, and cheaper wooden doors were installed;

·      The fencing project of the district offices was broken down into two in order to keep the prices under R1 million to avoid an open bid process;

·      The tender for the renovation and fencing of the guardhouse was awarded to Mhloti Trading, which quoted R993 519,  but another company, Mangethe, quoted less than R143 000 for the work on the guardhouse alone but was not considered;

·      After the tender was awarded items worth R440 887 were added.

“MEC (Cathy Dlamini),” said Scopa chairperson, Desmond Moela, “ama officials akho agangile, atshontshile (your officials have been naughty, they have stolen public funds).” Dlamini was appointed to the department after the elections this year, a few months after the projects were implemented.

She has indicated that she would launch an internal investigation.

Moela said that law enforcement agencies such as the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Hawks would be roped in if necessary.

A representative from the auditor-general’s office indicated that the department’s report had many elements of non-compliance that resulted in unauthorised expenditure while the costing details were missing.

The department claimed that the costs of the project were determined by quantity surveyors from the Development Bank of Southern Africa, but they did not present a report before Scopa.

“To admit to our mistake,” said supply chain chief director, Dumisani Shipalana, “there was changing of scope and additions. Whether the prices are correct or not, I’m not a quantity surveyor and I can’t say anything.”

Moela said that it was concerning that the guard house was unoccupied. Moela also raised a concern that the fencing project had to be broken down into two to keep the pricing under R1 million as a ploy to avoid an open bidding process.

Mpumalanga education spokesperson, Jasper Zwane, previously evaded questions to clarify which companies were appointed and for which projects.

It now appears that Mhloti Trading was appointed for renovating the guardhouse and put a perimeter fence to protect an electric transformer and install a motor gate.

To renovate the fence around the whole office area, Indumane Trading, which quoted the highest price of R956 535.50, was appointed. The cost of both the guardhouse and the fence was R1.9 million.

However, Indumane’s competitors - Gabeshe Trading and Balinye Trading - quoted less - R767 015.50 and R913 869.35 respectively – but they were overlooked.

“The whole project shows poor inspection and management. I can’t understand why the scope of the project was changed during implementation,” he said.

The People’s Eye picked up the story after coming across an internal memorandum dated December 12 2023. The memorandum gave an impression that supply chain officials appointed three companies at a combined price of R3.2 million to renovate the guard house. 

Zwane has denied that more than one company was appointed for the facelift for each of 11 projects listed in the memorandum, but refused to give further details.

Even though it is becoming clearer with the Scopa investigation that the figures were not as big as in initially thought but the fact remains that they were still inflated and many supply chain management rules and procedures were flouted.