MEC Mabe denies Premier Thandi Modise’s involvement in decision to impose sanctions and interest in awarding of tender

MEC Mabe denies Premier Thandi Modise’s involvement in decision to impose sanctions and interest in awarding of tender.

North West MEC for Finance, Louisa Mabe has dismissed allegations that North West Premier Mme Thandi Modise had influenced the implementation of sanctions placed on the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport (DPWRT) as devoid of truth and mischievous tactics that she suspects are intended to stop further investigations into irregularities related to tenders awarded by the said department.

MEC Mabe was reacting to a Mail and Guardian article published on Friday 7 October 2011 that suggested that sanctions were implemented through the influence of the Premier Modise and based on her alleged wish to have the R93,5 million Koster-Lichtenburg road rehabilitation tender awarded to Globul Roads instead of Down Touch Investments (Pty) Ltd.

The MEC asked how sanctions could have been in retaliation to the awarding of a tender that only came to the knowledge of the Premier and herself weeks after the department had imposed sanctions on the DPWRT. She stressed that Premier Modise had played no role at all in her decision to impose the sanctions and that the decision has nothing to do with the tender.

MEC for Finance is disappointed and worried that her letter to MEC for Public Works, Roads and Transport, Mahlakeng Mahlakeng was leaked to the media by an official/s in her colleague’s department. Mabe says that the leaked correspondence on sanctions to the implemented in DPWR&T was an internal communication between MECs and was not meant for public consumption.

After meeting with major spending departments of Social Department, Health, Education and Public Works and Transport in the province last month, corrective action plans were developed for each of the departments however, sanctions were placed on the DPWR&T as a result of its failure to meet with and provide Treasury with the necessary information that assists it to monitor its financial management.

Mabe says that engagement with the department revealed that the intervention programme that was put in place in 2009 when sanctions were implemented had registered little progress.

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Kesalopa Gill
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