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The Democratic Alliance has learnt that the five City of Tshwane officials implicated in an irregular tender for the upgrade of the Rooiwal Waste Water Treatment Plant are set to return to work later this month.

The tender was awarded to a consortium led by Blackhead Consulting, the company of notorious ANC donor Edwin Sodi. As a forensic report later found, the Blackhead consortium should’ve been disqualified as a bidder.

The same report recommended disciplinary action against the five officials who served as the bid evaluation committee. Sowetan memorably labelled the five as ‘Sodi’s Blessers’.

In March last year Tshwane city manager Johann Mettler decided to suspend the five pending a Labour Court application to have them fired. This followed a protracted disciplinary process which recommended that the officials be given a slap on the wrist.

Mettler disagreed, and as mayor of Tshwane at the time I gave him my full backing. The project to solve the Hammanskraal water crisis must necessary also include accountability for decision-makers who knowingly did harm to the city and residents.

We understand that these officials have obtained a Bargaining Council award against their suspension, and are confident that the matter will not be taken on review under the ANC-led coalition now in charge of Tshwane.

One of the five includes the head of supply chain management in Tshwane. This person’s tenure included a string of multi-billion rand irregular tenders, and yet she has been able to survive the turnover of several mayors and city managers. 

The DA has written to Mettler to ask that the Bargaining Council decision to uplift the suspension of the Rooiwal Five be taken on review. Given the history and magnitude of tender rigging in Tshwane, it is essential that the matter be looked over a court of law.

With reference to the findings of the Zondo Commission and Sodi’s financial links to the ANC, we’ve also placed on record the conflict of interest between the city and its ANC-led coalition.

Issued by Ald Cilliers Brink - DA Tshwane Caucus Leader