MEC in row over unused smart pens worth R4.5m

EASTERN Cape Transport MEC Weziwe Tikana is at the centre of a controversy involving a R4.5-million purchase of digital smart pens.

This took place while Tikana was an official at the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

Tikana, also an ANC Women’s League national executive committee member, had reportedly requested the smart pens for use by community development workers.

The smart pens could relay information from families that needed social grants or housing to the department’s database in a flash.

The pens have tiny infra-red cameras and Bluetooth technology which can convert handwritten information into digital data.

In total, 320 pens were bought at a cost of R4.5-million. This included an annual subscription fee of R766 080 to be paid for three years, and a monthly bill of R76 000 over three years to Vodacom for airtime.

The department had entered into a contract with a private company, from March 2013 for the provision and maintenance of the pens, but they remained unused and are still gathering dust at the department’s head office in Bhisho.

Acting Cooperative Governance head Ngaka Mosehana revealed this to members of the standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) at the provincial legislature on Monday.

The purchase of the smart pens was the subject of a forensic investigation, which was expected to be completed next month, he said.

Part of the investigation is an amount of R109 000, used for the printing of digital forms without following procurement processes. The auditor-general had said that the amount was fruitless and wasteful.

Tikana yesterday confirmed she had recommended that the devices be bought, but said she was not involved in the actual procurement.

“The investigation can be done. I am not even worried,” she said.

Mosehana said former chief financial officer Nielesh Ravgee and another senior official were responsible for the transaction and that both had been suspended.

She told the committee they had subsequently resigned.

Ravgee could not be reached for comment.