Tshwane officials fingered in Rooiwal tender to know their fate

Despite the City of Tshwane saying the disciplinary processes of the five employees implicated in its forensic report into the failed Rooiwal wastewater treatment plant upgrades would end in February, it has now moved the date to next week. 

Tshwane spokesperson Selby Bokaba has told Sowetan that the formal process will be concluded on March 13 when all parties are expected to present their heads of argument.

“From there onwards, the city will have no control over the process as the matter is presided upon by an independent person, and so we won’t know when the verdict will be delivered.

“The city will no longer entertain inquiries on the matter until the process has been fully concluded,” Bokaba said.

The five colleagues are Thembeka Mphefu, the divisional head of supply chain management; Frans Manganye, the divisional head of electricity planning and development; Stephens Notoane, the group head of utility services; Justice Sekokotla, the director of electricity department; and Dumisani Gubuza, the divisional head of water and sanitation.

The group is accused of flouting legal processes in the awarding of the Rooiwal tender to companies linked to controversial businessman Edwin Sodi.

The forensic report by Ligwa Advisory Services states that the five made up the did evaluation committee that was responsible for appointing a contractor to expand the Rooiwal’s capacity, which would have improved the quality of drinking water.

The 2020 SIU report recommended that Mphefu face disciplinary action after she “acted wrongly in that she committed gross and serious misconduct which prejudiced the administration” for the catering tender. Notoane, Sekokotla, Manganye and Gubuza are accused of flouting legal processes in the awarding of the Rooiwal tender.

The DC had been ongoing since early last year following their involvement in the awarding of the contract to Sodi’s consortium.

The companies – CMS, NJR and Blackhead JV – only completed 60% of the work before the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Plant contract was cancelled for poor performance last year, while the three companies pocketed R292m.

Chabalalaj@sowetan.co.za