Pretoria - Pastor and businessman Trevor Buckland is waiting to proceed with his R12 million court case against the City of Tshwane, which allegedly cancelled his tender unlawfully.
In 2007, Buckland’s company Tre-Gail Distributors was awarded a tender by the city to supply prepaid electricity metal meter boxes for low-cost housing. When the company was awarded the tender, he said, the city accepted his specifications of 1.6mm for the thickness of the steel.
“But in the fine print of the tender they changed the specifications to 2mm and I didn’t see it until later when my manufacturer made me aware,” Buckland said.
This in turn made the orders more expensive and also very difficult to find. “The orders were delayed and I was inundated with orders and could not keep up.”
Buckland said the costs of the 2mm steel meant he was not making a profit and was just breaking even - this was far below the R12m profit he was expecting to make from the tender.
About a year into the two-year contract, he said, the city cancelled it.
He tried to sue the city in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, but claimed the docket disappeared and he instead approached the public protector to help him sort out the matter.
“I went to the public protector and they investigated my case. I even received a reference number.”
Despite the case being investigated, there was still no outcome after six years, despite a forensic investigator having completed his report, he said.
“I lost everything because this contract was cancelled. I lost my staff; I eventually lost my business and family. I am living by faith.”
Buckland said he just wanted the public protector to release his report so he could get the R12m plus 15% annual interest owed to him.
The 52-year-old said he needed the money to pay off the debts he incurred when he still had the tender.
“I need to pay off the supplier for the steel that I got. It was designed with specifics. He can’t just sell it off to someone else. I also need to pay my business partner 40% of everything I get and my lawyer as well.”
City spokesman Lindela Mashigo confirmed that they were defending the case brought by Buckland.
“The City of Tshwane cannot comment as the matter is pending before court. Buckland should prove his claims in court,” Mashigo said.
The public protector had not responded to questions regarding the investigations.
Pretoria News