‘Black businesses are being snubbed’
LOCAL black-owned businesses have complained about being sidelined from business opportunities by government and municipalities and are calling for a radical economic shift to favour local entrepreneurs.
Secretary of the Northern Cape Progressive Business Forum, Kagisho Nkomo, believes that black-owned businesses and contractors, particularly in the Kimberley area, are purposefully excluded from being awarded state tenders.
He pointed out that during the city-wide water shutdown from March 23 to 27 a company from outside the municipal boundaries was appointed to provide JoJo tanks and water trucks during the scheduled maintenance.
“No tender was advertised. The municipality should have prioritised the local businesses since this maintenance was planned and budgeted for well in advance. Transparent and fair tender procedures should have been followed. Expenditure incurred for procuring these tanks and water trucks by the municipality are in their nature irregular, as it was not an emergency.”
Nkomo added that preferential procurement of emerging blackowned businesses was being implemented at a “snail’s pace”.
“We demand that the municipality implement these regulations without any delay or prejudice. The municipality must advantage local black businesses, to unashamedly pre-qualify the bids to broad-based black economic empowerment.”
He stated that red tape was strangling local businesses, where the forum is urging for the speedy approval of building plans, land availability and the fast tracking of business permits.
“Local businesses stimulate the local economy.”
Spokesperson for Sol Plaatje Municipality, Sello Matsie, said that municipal officials met with forum on Wednesday.
“It was agreed that further discussions will take place regarding this matter.”
In correspondence to the HOD for Education, Nkomo stated that local businesses raised disputes during a meeting where bid specifications “intentionally” prevented them from participating in a fiveyear lease for high-speed printer machines to the Department of Education.
Spokesperson for the MEC for Education, Geoffrey van der Merwe, indicated that the tender process for the hi-tech machines had not been finalised yet.
“The bids are only closing on Friday. The specifications, as provided in the tender document, is in line with the national norms and standard requirements. Nationally, all provincial education departments must adhere to the norms and standards as it is clearly stipulated by the Department of Basic Education. These specifications are to comply and not to exclude anyone from doing business with government.”