Tuesday 16 November 2010

The vagaries of the municipal mentality

In a tender report by the Bid Adjudication Committee to the Kouga Municipal Council on 11 November 2010, it was recommended that the contract for the restoration of 157 state-funded low cost housing units in Sea Vista to the value of some R9,25 million be awarded to Impelelo Construction of East London. The Bid Adjudication Committee consists of six municipal officials under the chairmanship of Ms. Linda Simanga, Director of Corporate Services.

The Bid Adjudication Committee was advised by a firm of consultants called Aurecon who describe themselves as “a global company which is focused on the technical, asset management and operational issues” that their clients face every day. They also state that their “world class specialists are abreast of key market developments and best practice technical and management solutions.”

According to the tender report, Impelelo Construction was “the 5th highest in terms of scoring.” One of the Councillors was perplexed. “Why,” he asked “was Impelelo not placed at the top of the list if they were the favoured bidder?”

It would also be fair to ask why the tender was not awarded to the business “highest in terms of scoring”.

But wait, there’s more to come. Aurecon recommended that Impelelo should provide a letter of good standing. Still mystified, the Councillor wondered why they were not asked to provide such a letter before it was decided to give them the job.

In view of the KM’s iffy track record of acting above board, the JBRPA is tempted to paraphrase Marcellus (in Hamlet): is there something rotten in the Bid Adjudication Committee?

2 comments:

  1. The translation from Afrikaans to English is not very good.
    I would also like to know why people from outlying areas or from another part of the country are given houses. When I came down to Jeffreys Bay, I had to find my own accomodation and there was only a small number of people needing houses in the area. Now the area next to Pelsrus is an eysore. I would also like to know why the people who have been given houses are allowed to attach wooden or metal living areas. You are just creating another informal settlement. In other suburbs, one has to have approved plans to add on to a property, why can't the townships follow the same rules?

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  2. The translations are computer generated. Let's be thankful that Google offers a service like this in more than 50 languages -- free of charge. If you email your other questions to me (jbvanjb@gmail.com)I will forward them to the municipality.

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