DA dogged by tender accusations

16 August 2011 - 03:04 By Anna Majavu
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DA chief strategist Ryan Coetzee Picture: SHELLEY CHRISTIANS
DA chief strategist Ryan Coetzee Picture: SHELLEY CHRISTIANS

The Western Cape ANC has called for the head of the DA's chief strategist, Ryan Coetzee, alleging that he influenced the irregular awarding of a large tender to an advertising agency.

The Sunday Times reported that TBWA Hunt Lascaris won a two-year R1.5-million contract from Premier Helen Zille's office in November 2010.

But, nine months later, all provincial departments were told to sign retrospective contracts with TBWA Hunt Lascaris, raising the potential value of the tender to R500-million a year.

The provincial treasury looked into the deal and found that the appointment of the agency "revealed a lack of control measures and good governance principles", the newspaper reported.

Quoting a whistleblower, the newspaper said top Zille advisers - including Coetzee, Gavin Davis, Paul Boughey (now special adviser to Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille) and Zille's communications director, Nick Clelland-Stokes - had been among those who decided on the awarding of the tender.

Known as the "supreme group" they are said to be the brains behind the strategies of the DA-led government.

Deputy International Relations and Co-operation Minister and ANC provincial chairman Marius Fransman said at an ANC press conference yesterday that Coetzee must be suspended and there should be an investigation into how much power the purported "supreme group" had over government decisions.

Fransman said: "DA cadres from this "club" had "even gone to the mayor's office to push certain things and the poor mayor [Patricia de Lille] can't say anything."

He said Zille must disclose who was paying Coetzee's salary.

Zille's spokesman, Trace Venter, said yesterday that Coetzee was a member of the bid evaluation committee.

"As a special adviser to the premier, Mr Coetzee is permitted to do work outside of government. It is important to note that he is a political appointee and his term is linked to my term as premier. The provincial government pays his salary."

But she said there was nothing irregular about the contract.

"Treasury regulations permit departments to participate in a contract arranged by another department. Accordingly, and on the advice of the provincial treasury, this was the process that was followed by all departments."

On Sunday, Zille said she would lay a complaint with the Press Ombudsman. She accused the Sunday Times of quoting selectively from the provincial treasury report, which she said "found certain discrepancies but these are not regarded as critical".

She tweeted that she was confident that the process was above board.

"If there was any corruption, I will resign," she promised.

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