War over P1.8bn water tender rages on

Following their success in halting the award of a tender to an undeserving Chinese contractor, Batswana contractors under the Tawana Joint Venture (JV) have proceeded to challenge a decision by the Public Procurement Tribunal to cancel a lucrative water tender initially awarded at P1.8 billion. Tawana JV who had charged P1.5 billion are irked that they instead of passing the tender to them, the tribunal cancelled it.

Minister of Water and Human Settlement, Onneetse Ramogapi, revealed in Parliament last week in response to a question by Kgalagadi North legislator Reason Lekutlane. Lekutlane wanted an update on the current water crisis in Macheng and the catchment area being villages of Zutshwa, Ngwatle, Monong, Ncaang, Maake, and Hunhukwe, and short-term and long-term solutions. It also came to the fore that P28,938,724.87 has been spent on water bowsing since 2018 and a further P5,911,465.00 is expected to be spent over the next two years.