he North West Public Works Department says it has suspended the R134 Million road construction tender amid criticism after it emerged that the successful bidder had been blacklisted from doing business with the government after allegedly abandoning projects.
Officials appeared before the two committees of the North West Provincial Legislature to answer questions about the appointment that was done in December after it was advertised in August last year.
Head of the Department of the North West Public Works and Roads, Moss Kgantsi, said the tender in question has been suspended following a public outcry.
“Given the current situation, we should suspend work and not terminate the contract. This is to suspend the work for the duration of the investigation, which is going to be six weeks. A forensic investigator will investigate the following;
1. Investigation of the appointment of Ndhuna Civil Engineering Services for contract PWR 127/14 from Khunotswana Village towards N4, to the total amount of R134 million;
2. Investigation of project management on the following contract; (a) PWR 09/17B-FA23 for Patch and reseal of road D521 from road P51/1 in Segwaelane to Wonderkop.
The appointed service provider was Ndhuna Civil Engineering Services; (b) PWR 09/17D FA-24: Patch and Reseal of Road P63/1 from Letlhabile to Hebron (Gauteng Border) including intersection improvement on the Mangope Highway. The appointed service provider was Ndhuna Civil Engineering Services; and
3. Investigation on any other abandoned project by Ndhuna Civil Engineering Services,” Kgantsi said.
North West Public Works and Roads MEC Oageng Molapisi, blamed administrators who were running the province as part of a national government intervention that was implemented in 2018 until 2021, for not informing his department about the company’s blacklisting.
“Up to now, we have not yet received any handover report from the administrator. So all these things besides the current appointment happened during the tenure of the administrator,” said Molapisi.
North West Scopa chairperson Job Dliso wants the service provider and the administrator to appear before the committee.
“We have agreed that we must call both Ndhuna and the former administrator to appear before the committees so that we can listen to their side of the story. It is our view that this matter requires thorough investigations. We are not going to be left out, we are going to do our own investigations,” Dliso said.
Mmoloki Cwaile who chairs the Roads and Public Works Portfolio Committee believes those implicated should face criminal charges.
“We have also made the decision that all other concerns and irregularities should be investigated, exposed, and reported to law enforcement agencies. All this should be followed by consequence management. It must not only be implemented but it must also be seen so that the recurrence of such instances should be avoided in the future,” said Cwaile.
As the finger-pointing continues, construction at the road, which passes through Khunotswana Village, has been halted. The North West was placed under administration in 2018 after governance system failures, which led to social and labor unrest.
