Municipality can’t sit on this fence

The Lennoxton Library fencing project has still not come off the ground.

The project was placed on the 2014/2015 budget, and 16 months later, the Department of Community Services has come nowhere near in completing it.

The project was initially put on hold in November 2014, after the former Municipal Manager, Kebone Masange had found certain irregularities pertaining of the procurement of the service provider for the project.

The fencing had allegedly been given to a regular maintenance service provider of the municipality, and Mr Masange objected.

According to rules governing municipalities, capital projects costing more than R20 000 had to go out on tender. As the fencing project fell into this category, it would have been deemed irregular by the Auditor General.

However, despite following proper Supply Chain Management (SCM) protocol and the project being put on tender in January this year, the project is nowhere near from being started.

Chairperson of the Portfolio Standing Comittee of Development Planning and Human Settlements, Matthew Shunmugam said he was unable to give an official statement.

According to Aletta Botes, town librarian, a service provider was appointed for the erection of fencing. “At this stage, arrangements with regard to colour coding of the fence are under way.

Once finalised, the contractor will give an indication of time frames, as well as the date of completion,” Mrs Botes said. She added the process had taken longer than anticipated.