MEC denies EFF’s allegation of tender corruption
The EFF has accused Mpumalanga education MEC Catherine Dlamini of interfering with supply chain tender processes and the appointment of service providers shortly after she was appoint- ed to the top position last week on Tuesday.
“On Friday June 21‚ the department of education had its first management meeting with the MEC. The EFF received a tip off that during the meeting the MEC instructed the head of the department and other senior officials to cancel all tenders approved before her arrival as MEC‚” the EFF said.
“The EFF is reliably informed Dlamini also instructed the department to reinstate a service provider whose contract was terminated after it lapsed‚ which is against supply management processes.”
Dlamini has dismissed the claims. She confirmed the meeting took place but said she never instructed anyone to cancel any tender or reinstate any service provider.
“There was never an instruction to the head of department [HoD] or to whoever that resulted in me interfering in the supply chain. We had a briefing with the HoD and a session with the labour formations and a number of questions were asked‚” Dlamini said in an interview with SABC.
“I don’t know why they’re interested in the supply chain because I asked a number of questions from different sections that relate to the working of the schools.”
She said the EFF did not consult or confront her before going public with corruption accusations.
“Somebody decided to give the wrong information to the leader of the EFF and the leader of the EFF did not take time to ask me if this is true. Instead, they went ahead and circulated information that is not true. It never happened.”
The EFF remains adamant Dlamini was involved in corrupt activities. The party threatened to take action against the MEC.
It said it will write to the premier to recall the MEC with immediate effect‚ escalate the matter to other relevant authorities and open a case of corruption against the MEC in line with the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act. TimesLIVE
