Cape Town - More than a month after Western Cape Premier Alan Winde contacted national criminal and judicial entities about revelations that a business linked to state capture had won a R282 million tender from his administration, there has been no movement on the matter.
The tender went to Royal Security, a company linked to Durban businessperson Roy Moodley, and which had been among those flagged in the State Capture Commission’s report.
Last month, when the matter was brought up in the legislature by MPLs who wanted to know why the province was doing business with companies alleged to be involved in crime and corruption, Winde promised to follow through with the National Prosecuting Authority, the Justice Ministry and the National Treasury.
However, responding to enquiries from the Cape Argus this week, Winde’s spokesperson Regan Thaw said: “The premier is still awaiting feedback from the NPA and justice ministry. The premier looks forward to resolving this matter as expeditiously as possible, and with the support of the national government.”
This comes as the case of an alleged multimillion-rand security tender fraud exposed in Saldanha Bay Local Municipality is in the courts.
The matter involves Wanda McCarthy, a Saldanha Bay businesswoman and director of Securimed Response CC, trading as Crime Force.
McCarthy, who is alleged to have misrepresented information when she submitted a bid for the multimillion -rand security tender issued by the municipality, was released on R20 000 bail and ordered to not contact municipality officials after her appearance.
The 2018 matter came to light after a whistle-blower reported irregularities in awarding the tender to the Presidential Hotline and got the matter referred to the SIU for investigation.
Scrutiny of the company found that the accused had made misrepresentations, stating that her company had a workforce of between 400 and 600 employees and a registered fleet of more than10 vehicles.
ANC provincial secretary Neville Delport blamed the municipality and the province.
Delport said: “While we trust the legal process, we cannot overlook the matter of poor oversight. We condemn any negligence or indifference shown in overseeing the proper use of public resources.”
mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za