Magalies Water has dismissed claims that the tender for the Klipvoor bulk water supply scheme project has been awarded to controversial businessman Edwin Sodi.
“The content is not only malicious and premature but seeks to cast doubt about the entity's credibility to undertake ethical and legally sound decisions on matters related to supply chain management processes,” spokesperson David Magae said.
The project will supply potable water to communities in North West and Limpopo.
Magae said only two of seven work packages were in construction stage and the appointed companies had no links to Sodi.
“The project implementation processes for the other work packages are still at early stages as Magalies Water is engaging national government departments on a number of key issues, including funding modalities, technical project scoping and envisaged costs associated with the project.”
Sodi, a well-connected entrepreneur, has been awarded multimillion-rand tenders. His business dealings have been surrounded by controversy, with allegations of him giving kickbacks to government officials who preside over the tenders.
Tenders awarded to Sodi included the R255m asbestos tender in the Free State in 2014. Sodi was charged with corruption together with former Free State premier Ace Magashule, former Mangaung mayor Olly Mlamleli and former human settlements head of department Nthimotse Mokhesi, in relation to a government contract for the audit and assessment of asbestos housing units in the Free State.
In 2019, his company Blackhead Consulting was given a R292m tender to upgrade the Rooiwal wastewater treatment plant for the cholera-hit Hammanskraal. His consortium did half the job but was paid the full amount of the contract.
He was allegedly linked to NJR Projects which, according to parliamentary documents, received more than R173m to construct temporary shelters during the Covid-19 lockdown in Duncan Village in the Eastern Cape in 2020. Only 279 of the expected 1,800 shelters were built. Individual shelters, described as wooden shacks, came to R166,000 each.
Magalies Water clarified that the procurement processes would be fair and transparent.
“Given the magnitude of such a high-impact bulk water project, necessary checks-and-balances are done to ensure that any award of the tender is free of bias and/or any undue influence on the extent that the supply chain management process can withstand any form of scrutiny,” it said.
TimesLIVE
Magalies Water dismisses 'malicious' claims of awarding tender to Sodi
Image: Thapelo Morebudi
Magalies Water has dismissed claims that the tender for the Klipvoor bulk water supply scheme project has been awarded to controversial businessman Edwin Sodi.
“The content is not only malicious and premature but seeks to cast doubt about the entity's credibility to undertake ethical and legally sound decisions on matters related to supply chain management processes,” spokesperson David Magae said.
The project will supply potable water to communities in North West and Limpopo.
Magae said only two of seven work packages were in construction stage and the appointed companies had no links to Sodi.
“The project implementation processes for the other work packages are still at early stages as Magalies Water is engaging national government departments on a number of key issues, including funding modalities, technical project scoping and envisaged costs associated with the project.”
Sodi, a well-connected entrepreneur, has been awarded multimillion-rand tenders. His business dealings have been surrounded by controversy, with allegations of him giving kickbacks to government officials who preside over the tenders.
Tenders awarded to Sodi included the R255m asbestos tender in the Free State in 2014. Sodi was charged with corruption together with former Free State premier Ace Magashule, former Mangaung mayor Olly Mlamleli and former human settlements head of department Nthimotse Mokhesi, in relation to a government contract for the audit and assessment of asbestos housing units in the Free State.
In 2019, his company Blackhead Consulting was given a R292m tender to upgrade the Rooiwal wastewater treatment plant for the cholera-hit Hammanskraal. His consortium did half the job but was paid the full amount of the contract.
He was allegedly linked to NJR Projects which, according to parliamentary documents, received more than R173m to construct temporary shelters during the Covid-19 lockdown in Duncan Village in the Eastern Cape in 2020. Only 279 of the expected 1,800 shelters were built. Individual shelters, described as wooden shacks, came to R166,000 each.
Magalies Water clarified that the procurement processes would be fair and transparent.
“Given the magnitude of such a high-impact bulk water project, necessary checks-and-balances are done to ensure that any award of the tender is free of bias and/or any undue influence on the extent that the supply chain management process can withstand any form of scrutiny,” it said.
TimesLIVE
READ MORE:
Attempted murder case against Edwin Sodi pulled from court roll
City of Tshwane approaches court to bar Rooiwal managers from returning to work
Socialite Edwin Sodi buys nightclub in the Mother City
SIU to investigate Rooiwal waste water mess
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