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ActionSA is concerned that the City of Tshwane Special Council meeting scheduled for this morning to deal with the forensic report into the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Plant has been postponed for the third time.

This time due to cable theft which adversely affected the connectivity for a meeting that was scheduled to be held virtually.

This report is now scheduled to serve at the ordinary sitting of Council later this month at which point we have confidence that our coalition partners will demonstrate our collective commitment to oppose wrongdoing. 

Given that this is the third such time that this particular item has been delayed, and particularly the nature of the vandalism that led to the decision to postpone the meeting, we have reason to suspect that there are forces at work to deliberately prevent this matter from serving.

Appreciating the damning contents of the report, we are not surprised that there are elements preventing the truth of this R295 million render irregularity from seeing the light of day.

Council must diligently apply itself to the contents of this forensic report in order to get to the bottom of the problem that has precluded the people of Rooiwal, Hammanskraal from gaining access to potable water for almost 18 years. This is with reference to alleged R295 million tender irregularities that have delayed progress at the plant.

Amongst the many reasons ActionSA contends this tender was corrupt, are the following:  

• It amounted to a R295 million award to a joint venture with both companies owned by Edwin Sodi for the upgrade of the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Plant.  
• Neither company in the joint venture had any experience in this kind of project.  
• The joint venture did not have the required funds for site establishment. The City of Tshwane paid R1 million upfront to float the costs of site establishment. 
• The joint venture, in contravention of the supply chain policies of the City of Tshwane, had to be ceded R71 million upfront because it lacked the resources for the initial capital outlay.  
• When the adjudication committee cancelled the tender award, the City of Tshwane inexplicably did not defend its decision in the legal proceedings brought by the joint venture. 

ActionSA brought a motion to Council for the matter to be investigated and reported back to the Council and we urge Tshwane Speaker from ensuring that this matter receives its due for the people of Hammanskraal.

The Multiparty Coalition of the City of Tshwane is determined to get to the bottom of this matter so that we can get one step closer to providing clean and potable water to the people of Hammanskraal.

Issued by ActionSA Gauteng Provincial Chairperson Bongani Baloyi