A COMPANY owned by Ike Maphoto ANC branch chairman Naphtali Molope has been awarded a tender despite the fact that it did not have the capacity to render the service .

Itec Meso, a reprographic and photocopying company, was awarded a contract by the Polokwane municipality in June on a three-year contract.

But so far the company has failed to deliver any service.

The company was expected to provide photocopy machines, printers and fax machines but nothing has been done to date.

Despite having won the contract Molope has failed to deliver and the municipality is considering cancelling the contract.

The company was supposed to be paid R383 378, 14 a month for a period of three years.

Suspended municipal manager Letsepe Thubakgale had declined to appoint the company on the basis that it did not have the necessary capacity to render the service.

But acting manager Sam Mabotja allegedly proceeded to appoint the company.

On March 9 Polokwane executive mayor Thabo Makunyane sent an e-mail to Thubakgale, accusing him of failing to award the contract.

Makunyane said the failure to award the tender was causing serious problems with service delivery and unnecessary costs.

Makunyane suspended Thubakgale on May 28, accusing him of attempting to award a R16, 2 million contract for the provision of photocopying and reprographic services against the recommendation of the bid adjudication committee.

At the time Makunyane said the bidder Thubakgale wanted to appoint would have cost the municipality more than R70000 a month more than the one recommended by the committee.

Municipal spokesperson Simon Mokoatedi confirmed that a R2, 8 million contract had been awarded to Itec Meso.