SA's other Big Five

The Big Five dodgy tenders in Gauteng. DA MPL Jack Bloom challenges Premier Mokonyane to institute forensic inquiries into major suspect tenders.

Related:
Govt officials pocketed R600m - South African civil servants rigged government tenders worth R600 million, a newspaper reported on Sunday, the latest corruption scandal in Africa's biggest economy. The Sunday Times said an auditor general investigation into government officials who moonlight as business executives found more than 2 000 officials were involved in tender-rigging and corruption between 2005 and 2007, mostly at a regional level.~ (News24, June 14, 2009)

Has Zuma got the guts to fire the scum in the civil service? - Sunday Times

I challenge Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane to institute forensic inquiries into all major suspect contracts.

This includes projects in the Housing Department when she headed it, including the recovery of R58 million from Bahlodi Construction, a company that failed to build a single house in Evaton. If action is not soon initiated against Bahlodi, the money will be irrecoverable as it will be outside the three year proscription period.

Mokonyane must also ensure that ANC councillors implicated 8 years ago in housing corruption by a Ramathe Fivaz report are charged.

Her credibility is at stake if she does not pursue these and other investigations, including:

1. The R273 million Health Department contract with 3P Consulting, whose Managing Director, Mr Richard Payne, is an admitted friend of former Health MEC Brian Hlongwa.

2. The R50 million tender for ultra-violet irradiation units in hospitals awarded to African Ultra Violet despite the fact that it was R33 million more expensive than the company that scored the highest technical points.

3. The wasteful and ineffective Gauteng Online and Edusolutions contracts in the Education Department.

4. The Grand Prix contract which is a horrendous rip-off that probably involves money under the table.

5. All the deals in which Roads and Public Works Head of Department Sibusiso Buthelezi has over-ridden the Department Acquisition Council.

Not only must past corrupt deals be investigated, but effective prevention measures must be put in place including:

1. Opening all tender processes to the public and media.

2. Placing all information on successful bids on a website.

3. Opening up tender committees, as has been done in Cape Town.

I will be publishing a monthly Corruption Monitor to indicate progress in corruption investigations, and in anti-corruption measures. I will write to Mokonyane every month requesting her response to this Monitor.

I predict that opening the can of worms that is corruption in this province will mean that some of Mokonyane's closest colleagues will have to go.

She dare not duck this responsibility however politically painful.

This is a summary extract of the speech, by DA MPL Jack Bloom, in the Gauteng State of the Province debate.