DCEC probes Basic Education ministry over contractor
Innocent Selatlhwa | Tuesday June 6, 2017 17:02
PAC learnt from permanent secretary at the ministry Grace Muzila that the contractor (name known to this publication) has abandoned a site in which they were to build teachers’ houses at one of the junior secondary schools under the ministry.
It was revealed that the company abandoned the project at 20 percent and had been paid for 40 percent of the project. It also emerged that the said contractor was given a waiver not to pay mobilisations fees, something, which was against the contract.
Specially elected legislator Mephato Reatile had questioned as to what the ministry was doing to recover their monies and to have the project completed as he had seen that the contractor had abandoned the project. In response Muzila said the contactor had pleaded for a waiver stating financial difficulties.
“We granted him a waiver for mobilisation fees. He has also come to us requesting to sub contract, as he cannot finish the job. The ministry is working on getting them to pay and award the project,” Muzila said.
Muzila could not explain to the committee as to why the same contractor continues to get tenders from the ministry. It was only after Tati East legislator, Guma Moyo stated that he suspected possibility of corruption that Muzila made the revelations.
Muzila was asked to provide an update on other projects that the contractor was engaged in. “Please during re-submission provide us with details of all the tenders, the amounts, the progress and how much has been paid. The contractor did a poor job in elsewhere, all that is left there is a dilapidated tipper and the company keeps winning tenders,” he said. Moyo also asked that the company be named during re-submissions.