Johannesburg - There is no clear indication of when the national monument and memorial for fallen miners will be erected, despite the appointed contractor pocketing close to R5 million for the non-existent structure.
The national monument and memorial for fallen miners was commissioned by the Mine Health and Safety Council (MHSC) in 2017. CulArt Productions was given the tender.
The Star has uncovered that a project manager within the MHSC got away with a verbal warning for prematurely finalising a contract worth R4.8m with CulArt Productions.
The official from the government entity is said to have sidestepped the council’s procedures, a decision that has come at a great cost, considering that the monument is yet to be built. This information is contained in an oral written response to the DA’s Cheryl Phillips from Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe.
“The project manager was engaged on this anomaly, which was not in accordance with the internal process and, after considering the explanation provided, she was issued with a verbal warning on condition that all the project contracts for awarded projects were finalised before any work can be done or payments effected,” the minister’s response reads.
The monument was meant to be erected at the Newtown Cultural Precinct in Joburg. However, in another oral reply to the DA, Mantashe indicated that the MHSC experienced delays with approval of the site location, after the City of Johannesburg changed its position on its original approval of site location for the project.
City of Joburg spokesperson Nthatisi Modingoane said a site was identified for the project and that the MHSC were the ones tasked with taking the project forward.
“The city tried to facilitate this project by assisting the Mineral Health and Safety Council to find a suitable site for the monument. A site was identified at the Main Street Mall, where all stakeholders agreed to its suitability given the theme of the monument,” he said.
Modingoane would not give further information but indicated that the city handed over everything to the MHSC, who were then supposed to take the process forward in consultation with all stakeholders in that precinct.
A media query sent to the Mineral Resources Department was referred to the MHSC. Masanda Peter, stakeholder manager in the council, said: “The MHSC acknowledges receipt of the matter and the MHSC is investigating the matter.”
It has also surfaced that CulArt Productions was given an upfront payment of R444 600 in September 2017, a month before the signing of the contract. CulArt Productions refused to comment on the matter when The Star contacted them.
According to the contract between the council and service provider, the agreement shall commence on the effective date and shall be valid for a period of three months from the commencement date.
“The service must be rendered and provided within two months,” the contract reads.
The contract further stipulates that the service provider must: “Devote such time as may be required to enable the service provider to perform the services diligently, satisfactorily and within the terms of this agreement.”
The Star