Forum want answers on PPE distrubution tender

An angry group of service providers who are members of the Enoch Mgijima Contractors

’ Forum demanded answers after a vehicle carrying personal protective equipment (PPE) meant for Komani schools distributed the products in Griffiths Street last Thursday.

Forum chairperson Ayanda Duda said the department of education had reportedly put out a tender to supply PPE and requested service providers in the area to express interest. Submissions were made

“and after that it was quiet. Now we see a service

“provider from KwaZulu-Natal making deliveries in our area.

“. . . we are now challenging the fairness of this appointment,” Duda said.

When The Rep arrived at the scene, the members had intercepted the vehicle carrying bottles of sanitisers and brown boxes in a trailer, halting the delivery of the products.

It was also shocking to

“learn that school representatives were here to fetch products for their schools on the side of the road. We would expect that the delivery would be made at the district offices or at schools, hence we suspect corruption.”

Two district officials tried to address the members, saying they would communicate concerns raised by the forum members to the head office.

The group requested that the issue be resolved at the Queenstown police station. The forum met with station “commander Brig Zuziwe Magqashela . . . We requested the names of the 30 appointed service providers as we were told two were from our area,” Duda said.

A press statement issued by the Chris Hani District Business

Forum condemned any process that excluded local SMMEs, stating it would request an urgent meeting with the district department.

We wish to make it clear

“that we shall not allow any service provider to deliver or clean schools in the district until our demands are met,” read the statement.

Responding to questions sent by The Rep, education provincial spokesperson Loyiso Pulumani said claims that a service provider from KZN was appointed were untrue.

All the service providers

“appointed by the department are Eastern Cape-registered entities - that was the prerequisite.”

Pulumani said it was likely that Eastern Cape companies had sourced products from other provinces as there were few companies manufacturing sanitisers in the province.