No update in 'bullet threat' probe but campaign against rot continues: Meyer

KZN public works and infrastructure MEC Martin Meyer has vowed to intensify his anti-corruption stance by clamping down on corrupt officials and those behind recent threats to scare him.

A number of department officials have been dismissed after Meyer came into office a few months ago.

In the latest incident, two senior employees embroiled in a R56m tender were found guilty of gross misconduct and failure to exercise oversight were fired. This comes after the recent axing of a supply chain management director in connection with a R1.1bn tender.

The first, who served as a chief financial officer, overlooked the relationship between two companies, was behind irregularities in procurement processes and approved recommendations despite clear red flags, among other violations.

"While in the final stages of her disciplinary proceedings and awaiting the findings of her disciplinary hearing, the culprit submitted her resignation prior to the release of the chair's report, failing to serve her notice period in compliance with her contractual obligations," he said.

Meyer said they have accepted her resignation, along with the outcome of the disciplinary report.

The second official served as chief director of infrastructure programme co-ordination, acting deputy director-general of infrastructure maintenance and technical support, and chair of employer’s central bid evaluation committee (CBEC).

Speaking to TimesLIVE on Tuesday, Meyer said he was not going to succumb to threats made against him in his quest to fight the rot in his department or from outside detractors, including construction mafias.

In two separate incidents, threats were levelled against him by someone who placed live ammunition inside envelopes — one in his car parked at their Mayville offices and the other at the door of their office. 

Construction mafias have claimed they are entitled to be a 30% stake of any construction tender. If they are denied this, they have threatened service providers and said they would stall projects.

"I am not going to held at ransom by criminals who are demanding tenders in my department," Meyer said.

He said he is prepared to work with everyone, as long as those people follow the law.

"It cannot be right for people to just come and demand jobs — that is lawlessness and cannot be tolerated."

Meyer said he was committed to ensuring a 30% stake should benefit community development "but not to criminals who drive 4x4 vehicles".

His department is trying to end the scourge of development projects being disrupted in communities, he said.

"Before any tender goes out, we will go to the community where the development would take place, we will look for skills we need, so by the time development starts, we know who we are going to work with — and that is how we want to make sure that 30% goes to the community."

Community members will not allow construction mafias to hijack their projects if they know they will benefit, said Meyer.

"This is another way we are going contain construction mafias."

There have been no updates in the criminal case related to the threats but investigations are ongoing.

TimesLIVE