DURBAN - THE DA has opened a criminal case against the head of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Arts and Culture, Ntokozo Chonco, on allegations of tender fraud amounting to R5.1 million related to the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Bradley Singh, DA KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson on Arts and Culture, said the charges related to the procurement of PPE for eight KZN modular libraries located in KwaNzimakwe, Nibela, Kwankosi Khumalo, Kwakhetha, Mpembeni, Ntunjambili, Denny Dalton and Mfekayi districts.
Singh said contracts with inflated pricing were awarded to modular library contractors, not only for PPE but also for tractor loader backhoes (TLBs) and roller and tipper trucks. This, with funding specifically allocated for Covid-19.
“This took place during the country’s hard lockdown, which restricted work. As a result, the equipment paid for was left unused. The department also paid the contractors for the hiring of Covid-19 compliance officers, who also did not perform their duties. The issue is that department was aware of the lockdown yet continued to use taxpayers’ money to pay for equipment and personnel despite the reality that it would not be used.”
Singh said another issue was the procurement of machinery under Covid-19 expenditure.
“Levelling of the sites forms part of the building contract and does not relate to the pandemic in any way.”
Singh said the department had enough time at the start of the hard lockdown to return the machinery to be used at a later stage – thereby saving millions of rand – but opted not to.
“During the department’s 2020/2021 budget meeting, it was proposed that R32 million be set aside for the construction of 10 modular libraries in various districts across KZN. The DA has established that, at the time, an amount of R640 000 was allegedly given to each contractor for PPE. Some of the documents stipulate delivery of TLBs for June 2020 – well after the hard lockdown began.”
Singh demanded to know whether those contractors who were given funding for PPE were religiously on site, “and if so, how did they manage to work while the country was on lockdown Level 5. We also expect Mr Chonco to confirm whether these amounts were in fact spent on PPE for contractors, who these contractors were and how their appointments were made. We also expect him to tell us who will be held accountable for the squandering of millions of rand while KZN’s artists, who were so hard hit during the pandemic, did not get any help from the department.”
Singh added that almost two years had passed since this budget was approved and still these modular libraries were not operational.
“The department, its HOD and particularly its MEC, Hlengiwe Mavimbela, have a lot to answer for.”
Department spokesperson Phathisa Mfuyo said that they had noted the DA’s statement.
“We haven’t received confirmation that the charges have been laid, but will allow the law to run its course.”
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