The Kungwini local municipality in Bronkhorstpruit overpaid, by nearly R100 000, for five cars — including a 4X4 for its mayor. It dispensed with calling for tenders ”due to emergency and necessity”.
This emerged at a meeting of the council of the African National Congress-led municipality two weeks ago. The meeting also endorsed a total payment of R750 000 — R98 000 more than the cost of the vehicles.
The New National Party’s Caren de Jager was the only councillor at the meeting who stood up to question the waiving of the tendering process and the amount approved. She was supported by a NNP colleague and two members of the Democratic Alliance.
De Jager pointed out that in terms of the Local Government Transition Act’s tender regulations, the acquisition of any goods valued in excess of R70 000 has to go out to tender. According to the council documents on the transaction, the seller, a vehicle dealer, was to have donated two vehicles over and above the five that were purchased by the municipality.
Documents present at the meeting put the total value of the five vehicles at R652 000. The cost of the two donated vehicles was included, bringing the grand total to R794 000.
The documents quote acting municipal manager LS Ditshekgo, who said that the vehicle shop ”will be supplying a better product as was initially budgeted for, and will also be donating two vehicles, making it a very cost-effective transaction”.
De Jager said that a municipal council official was approached by council management in July to enter a tender, on behalf of the vehicle dealer, into the tender register. The official’s affidavit has formed the basis of a complaint lodged by De Jager with the commercial crime unit a month ago.
Kungwini mayor Mike Sephiri told the Mail & Guardian that the council had followed legal advice in approving the transactions.