Pretoria - The bid adjudication committee of the City of Tshwane is expected to meet this week to scrutinise the work done by service providers contracted to serve food to the homeless at temporary shelters during the lockdown.
At least 18 000 people were accommodated in 24 temporary shelters set up by local government to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The information regarding the planned committee meeting emerged during a meeting between the service providers, acting City manager Mmaseabata Mutlaneng and Head Administrator Mpho Nawa.
The meeting will be convened in the wake of disputes over payments for the catering rendered on behalf of the City. The City claimed invoices presented were exorbitant, and could not be justified.
The City further raised concerns that the procurement procedure followed before the appointment of the catering contracts could be awarded was flawed.
Service providers were also accused of having worked without purchase orders which were supposed to reflect the type of service procured by the City and its cost.
Nawa and Mutlaneng met service providers after last week’s drama at Tshwane House, where a woman stripped naked to protest against being removed from the building by the metro police.
The woman was part of the service providers who were there to state their side of the story during a media briefing hosted by Nawa, despite them not being invited.
Spokesperson of the service providers, Emmanuel Makuwa, said: “They promised us heaven and earth during the meeting; that the bid adjudication committee will this week meet to discuss other companies (suspected of having colluded with City officials to get contracts and inflate prices for goods and services).”
Service providers were also told that there were eight companies with portions of information which could (not) be validated.
Despite the promise, Makuwa said: “I cannot say we are satisfied with the meeting.
“We will be satisfied after we have received those purchase orders.”
*For the latest on the Covid-19 outbreak, visit IOL's #Coronavirus trend page.
** If you think you have been exposed to the Covid-19 virus, please call the 24-hour hotline on 0800 029 999 or visit sacoronavirus.co.za
Pretoria News