Limpopo -
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) should investigate irregular housing tenders awarded to expelled ANC Youth League president leader Julius Malema's allies, the DA said on Saturday.
“It must be probed why tenders worth R900 million, as reported by the Star, were awarded against the recommendations of the bid committee by the Limpopo human settlements department,” Limpopo spokeswoman Desiree van der Walt said in a statement.
“It cannot be a mere coincidence that those who won the tenders, despite being disqualified by the bid committee, all have links with Malema, a close ally of MEC Clifford Motsepe.”
Van der Walt said the Democratic Alliance would report irregular housing tenders to the provincial SIU on Monday.
On Friday, the Star reported that the Limpopo human settlements department had awarded multi-million rand housing contracts to companies owned bay Malema's allies or benefactors despite not meeting requirements or having a history of poor performance.
According to the report, the provincial co-operative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs department ignored recommendations of its own bid adjudication committee which disqualified 18 of 55 companies when it awarded contracts worth about R900 million.
Departmental spokeswoman Dieketseng Diale defended the department's awarding of the contracts to ineligible firms linked to Malema, the Star reported.
“The department implemented what the bid adjudication committee recommended,” she said.
Van der Walt said given the evidence at hand, the DA expected a quick and precise investigation from the SIU. - Sapa