ANC KZN to retain MEC Mbali Frazer despite school nutrition scandal: Mtolo

The job of KwaZulu-Natal's education MEC is safe unless there is proof she interfered in the awarding of the tender that led to the collapse of the province's school feeding scheme.  

On Wednesday, ANC provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo told a media briefing the party met MEC Mbali Frazer to get to the bottom of the scandal that led to non-delivery of food to about 5,400 schools.

Consequence management for now seems to be limited to the cancellation of the contract which was awarded to Pacina Retail, owned by businessman Manzini Zungu. 

“A politician can't interfere with the tender bidding process, unless evidence is presented that officials wanted to award this one because of evaluation results. But a politician deliberately forced officials to say no, leave what they think is good and appoint this one. 

“If evidence is presented to that effect, then it would be justifiable to say these politicians interfered and must be held accountable. At this stage there is no such [evidence], [but] if the department and all agencies of state looking into this matter find wrongdoing, then action must be taken,” said Mtolo.

The sudden change of the procurement process — previously tenders were awarded to small businesses, but this changed to a single supplier — was justified by Mtolo as informed by inefficiencies in the school nutrition programme. 

“Almost 1,000 small businesses which had contracts would take shortcuts in three-year contracts. For example, because food prices were going up, they would deviate from [dietary] specifications and compromise nutritional value and reduce food quantities.”

A single supplier, with capacity to go directly to manufacturers and distribute the food, was the ideal option, he said. 

“What we got from the MEC is the service provider, because of the requirements apparently entered into some sort of partnership with a national retail group, which made its bid [one] that qualifies, because on the tender requirements was a logistic hub, distribution centres, so every retail shop was regarded as a distribution centre. That’s why the bidder won. 

“But on April 24 after the bidder was awarded, the retailer said 'we are not able to deliver until June 1'. From there you can see the contract has collapsed.

“I think the failure of the service provider was to alert the department to these developments,” Mtolo said.

He added the department “believed” due diligence in the tender awarding was done.  

Mtolo said by Tuesday next week the feeding scheme would be back to normal through the previously abandoned small business suppliers. 

“We call on the provincial government to partner with Ithala Bank, to sign a memorandum of understanding with these suppliers so that they can go to the bank, those who will demonstrate a financial need to undertake this project.”

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