Gauteng government IT express tender: FF Plus lodges complaint with PP due to strange circumstances in which tender was awarded
6 April 2020
The FF Plus today lodged a complaint with the Public Protector (PP) to investigate the express tender that the Gauteng government awarded to a service provider for IT services.
Based on information regarding the circumstances surrounding the awarding of the tender, it seems to be irregular. According to a City Press report published on the 5th of April 2020, various other service providers lodged complaints regarding the matter with the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams. A whistle blower also wrote a letter about it to President Ramaphosa.
The tender was awarded amid strange circumstances which compelled the FF Plus to approach the PP to investigate the matter.
Firstly, it seems that service providers were only given two business hours to respond to the invitation to tender seeing as the invitation e-mail was sent at 17:17 on the 25th of March and the tender had to be submitted by 10:00 on the 26th of March.
According to reports, the service provider who was awarded the tender, In2IT Technologies, reacted swiftly with a 100-page tender document. Shortly after, the tender was reportedly awarded to the service provider. The entire process was finalised in less than 24 hours.
The current service provider, which is now being replaced, GSOC Security Services, argues that it is impossible to compile such a comprehensive tender document and have it ready in such a short period of time. According to the City Press report, there are officials in the Department who believe that the tender was created with a specific service provider in mind.
Secondly, it seems that there already exists a conflict of interests between In2IT Technologies and members of the Gauteng government. Whether this has been addressed and resolved is still unclear.
According to the City Press report, the service provider is the sponsor of the Moroka Swallows soccer team in which the MEC for Education, Panyaza Lesufi, has interests.
Furthermore, it is reported that there have already been various attempts to get the service provider involved in other government institutions, but without success. It only strengthens the suspicion that the Gauteng government specifically created the tender for this service provider and then awarded it.
It is against this backdrop that the FF Plus decided to ask the PP to investigate the tender for any irregularities.
During the lockdown period, it is very important to keep a close watch on what the government is doing on all three levels seeing as oversight structures, like committees, cannot convene meetings or pay oversight visits.
The FF Plus is well aware of the responsibility that this places on the party's shoulders and will not hesitate to take action if any irregularities are suspected.
Issued by Anton Alberts, FF Plus national chairperson and MPL: Gauteng, 6 April 2020
