Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba has ordered an investigation into tenders awarded by the city’s waste management company Pikitup.

One of the investigations will focus on a R36 million tender awarded by Pikitup in 2014 for six waste crushers. The equipment has stood idle because it does not meet the specifications needed for the task. Instead‚ the city has had to hire waste crushers from one of the losing bidders.

Mashaba said he had been informed that the tender specifications had been manipulated in order to suit the capacity of the bidder who was eventually awarded the contract.

Mashaba said he had also learnt of a R23 million tender awarded in 2011 for the construction and operation of weighbridges at the four Pikitup landfill sites. The bridges were delivered but not the software to operate them. However‚ the service provider had received an advance payment.

The investigation will be conducted by the city’s Group Forensic and Investigation Services (GFIS) unit.

“I have also asked the GFIS team to look at other tenders that were awarded by the entity‚” Mashaba said in a statement.

“Corruption doesn’t just steal from the City. It robs residents of much needed services and resources. This is why corruption has no place in this administration and we will work tirelessly to eradicate it.”