Tshwane report finds malfeasance in R19m food tender

The Tshwane metro has remained mum over a leaked internal report listing concerns over a multi-million rand deal to feed the homeless during the Covid-19 lockdown period.

Spokesperson Lindela Mashigo told Rekord the metro would only comment on the issue once the final investigation had been concluded.

The internal metro report referred to service providers who were allegedly owed the multi-millions for feeding the homeless during the lockdown.

The report recommended that the metro should only entertain “interim payment of invoices based on the overstated charges as per the findings, while some of the invoices would require to be reduced”.

The purpose of the report was to appraise the executive committee of the status of the investigation into the catering services rendered to the permanent and temporary shelters that formed part of Covid-19 homelessness programme.

ALSO READ: Motor manufacturing plant quashes Covid-19 related reports

“The investigation has clearly shown that the invoices are inaccurate and untrustworthy, there is no justification for honouring the invoices.

“We propose that the Tshwane metro follows one slogan; ‘If it’s not 100% proven, then no 100% payment’.”

The report said the charges per invoice had been grossly overstated.

“The food is equivalent to 5-star executive and luxurious catering.”

The report cited that Tshwane officials had failed to properly manage the project and created “a field for pillage”.

“The system in place allowed the service providers to dictate how to charge, hence we made findings of undetected overcharging, which is tantamount to a criminal act of fraud, and potential fruitless and wasteful expenditure.”

It said the Tshwane social development department had no records that they relied on to verify the invoices, such as attendance registers.

“We conclude that this process was not even done. The group head and any other authorised official did not verify and validate the invoices before submitting them for the ex post facto process,” the report said.

The report said that it could not rule out that there were cases of duplicated invoices to the metro, billed for services provided at the same shelter for the same day.

“We are still subjecting invoices to close analysis.”

ALSO READ: Complaints centre to deal with reports of police brutality

According to the report the process to submit all invoices and proof to the group audit and risk for validation process had been completed and confirmatory letters were sent to all service providers indicating the revised amount for each invoice submitted and the reasons for such revision.

A final internal report was yet to provide final guidance on the matter.

DA Tshwane mayoral candidate Randall Williams called on the officials involved in any alleged criminality to be dismissed and prosecuted.

“Tshwane head administrator Mpho Nawa must be dismissed from his post, as he has presided over this ‘field for pillage’.”

Williams called on the metro to release details of all of the Covid-19-related spending that took place to the public, along with a list of the service providers, what they provided and what they were paid.

“Failure to do so is indicative of a mass cover-up of corruption.”

He said these funds were meant to go to the neediest and vulnerable in the metro.

“It is based on the metro’s own report that there was internal collusion between Tshwane officials and service providers to steal from the homeless during a time of immense vulnerability.”