Three former Matzikama Municipality officials have been ordered to jointly pay back R400 000 for colluding with Duneco CC, a company operated by Nicolaas Jacobus Klazen, to award a personal protective equipment (PPE) contract in 2020.
The order was made by Special Tribunal Judge Johannes Daffue on Thursday, following an investigation by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) into Aldrich Hendricks, Isak Edward Jenner and Jafta Booysen.
The ANC on the West Coast said that it felt blindsided by the lack of transparency from the DA, with ANC regional spokesperson, Tshepiso Segaecho, saying that when they raised questions about the matter in a council meeting on Thursday, they were ignored.
“This matter has not been brought to us. The Speaker bluntly ignored the council when questions were raised.
“It looks as if the DA is hiding something. They need to exercise transparency.
“We are hoping that the DA-led government can come forth because as the opposition we haven’t received the report from the municipality,” he said.
SIU spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago, said the probe showed that a municipal official was instructed to obtain quotes for PPE the during Covid-19 pandemic.
“The official sent out written requests for quotations to certain suppliers, responses to be received before the closing date.
“Four suppliers responded.
“Hendricks, who took over as acting municipal manager, was provided with the quotations obtained. Hendricks disbanded the Covid-19 team and appointed Jenner as the Covid-19 co-ordinating officer.
“On the same day Klazen and Hendricks had a telephonic conversation about the supply of PPE to the municipality. Klazen deposited money in the bank account of Hendricks’ wife, before the contract was awarded, and Klazen failed to disclose his relationship with Hendricks,” he said.
The municipal officials resigned after the SIU investigation began, with Booysen and Hendricks now employed as municipal managers at the Laingsburg Local Municipality and Prince Albert Local Municipality respectively.
The DA’s provincial spokesperson, Melt Botes, said that the accused were appointed under the ANC in the municipality.
“The DA has zero tolerance for corruption and will always fight it where it threatens good governance. We therefore welcome the fact that the persons involved are being held accountable before the court. They were appointed under ANC rule and no longer work at the municipality,” said Botes.
Matzikama Municipality mayor Johan van der Hoven said: “I will study and report back as soon as possible.”
The officials and Klazen are currently out on R5 000 bail each, and the matter was expected to be enrolled at the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Bellville next month.
Attempts to reach the accused for comment were unsuccessful on Thursday.
Cape Times