Appointment of Nkandla contractor was ‘hush hush‚ rush rush’

20 July 2017 - 15:29 By Jeff Wicks
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Jacob Zuma's homestead in Nkandla. File photo.
Jacob Zuma's homestead in Nkandla. File photo.
Image: TEBOGO LETSIE

A contractor which banked millions in state funding to upgrade the homestead of President Jacob was so hurriedly appointed that two key Department of Public Works bid committees sat on the same day‚ a process which usually stretches over weeks.

Special Investigations Unit (SIU) investigator Christian Legwabe testified that the back-to-back sittings were “highly abnormal”.

Legwaba is the first witness in ongoing department disciplinary hearings into alleged wrongdoing by officials over the controversial R246-million Nkandla upgrades. The hearings are taking place in Durban‚ with Legwaba starting his testimony in the case against Jayshree Pardesi‚ a director of key accounts management‚ on Wednesday.

She is one of 10 public works officials who are accused of flouting tender processes in the awarding of various contracts for the Nkandla project.

According to testimony led on Wednesday‚ Pardesi was on a public works panel that appointed Moneymine Investments 310 CC as one of the contractors on the R246-million project.

Continuing his testimony on Thursday morning‚ Legwaba said that Moneymine’s appointment was a “hush hush‚ rush rush” job.

He said that according to evidence uncovered in the SIU investigation‚ the bid evaluation committee (BEC) and the bid adjudication committee (BAC)‚ usually independent of one another‚ sat in back-to-back meetings to push Moneymine’s appointment through‚ even though there was no budget for the work.

“This is abnormal. The BEC should sit and evaluate different tenders and after they have considered the chair will then go and meet the BAC. But for this to happen on the same day is abnormal‚” he said. “They rushed this project. They [the BAC] were supposed to be given a pack as required by the code of conduct at least three days prior to the meeting so they can prepare.

“As responsible BAC members they could have refused to sign off knowing that the code of conduct allowed them days to prepare but instead they signed. They should have known there was no budget.”

While Pardesi was expected to respond to the allegations through her legal representative‚ Adrian Moodley‚ a dispute over documents arose after Legwaba's testimony was concluded. As a result‚ the hearing was postponed.

The disciplinary process‚ which has been plagued by delays‚ will continue in September.

- TimesLIVE

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