Local contractors have started a petition against what they say is the unfair awarding of tenders by the Endumeni Municipality.
In a statement, the contractors wanted to know why the R5-million tender to build a park at the entrance to Sibongile was not advertised but awarded.
“We want to know why the Local Economic Development department is using a consultant from Newcastle. Why are outside companies getting tenders at the expense of local people who pay service charges to the municipality? What roles do consultants from Newcastle play?
There are also questions as to why three tenders were awarded on Christmas Eve while Council was in recess.
In his response, T Makhoba, Acting Municipal Manager, said:
For comprehensive and informative engagement purposes, we would have preferred alternative responsiveness arrangements to enable the achievement of presumptively honourable local economic development intentions of this group of local contractors. I also hoped that an alternative intensive and extensive patriotic, yet revolutionary engagement platform, on these matters will be the best constructive approach rather than through grandstanding communications of this nature. However, it is apparent that opportunities of such engagement are, at least at this stage, acutely limited due to the contextually potentially explosive nature of allegations against the management team of the Endumeni Municipality. Nevertheless, the Endumeni Municipality remains committed to abide by its vision, mission and core values to create a sustainable legacy of revolutionary excellence even on the local economic development front.
The Endumeni Municipality confirms that no underhand processes at variance with its Supply Chain Management Policy or any applicable legislative prescripts were undertaken in compliance with its recent procurement processes. Any party that so alleges is welcome to submit evidence to any oversight structure, particularly the Endumeni Municipal Council that has a functional Municipal Public Accounts Committee to address matters and allegations of such nature. As a free geopolitical education overture, we advise that despite various demarcations of jurisdictions, South Africa remains a unitary state as constitutionally provided for. The term “local” in terms of procurement processes thus applies to every jurisdictional corner of South Africa. Municipalities thus explore creative yet legally provided for means of addressing the municipal jurisdictional context of economic development in partnership with stakeholders.

The Endumeni Municipality is currently exploring strategic interventions to sustain local economic development excellence through proactive and constructive engagement with strategic partners within its jurisdiction. Despite the grievances alluded to regarding procurement of goods and/or services to “outside companies”, I am certain that our shared mutual local economic development considerations within the Endumeni Municipality are primarily focused on service delivery excellence for the benefit of all Endumeni communities in particular and the South African economy in general. We are obliged to work together to create a sustainable legacy of service delivery excellence beyond the apparent local economic development contestations. Citizens and stakeholders of the Endumeni Municipality look up to us to champion service delivery excellence, as well as governance and administration excellence, within the context of unyielding commitment and dedication to local economic development.
Any form of “anger” is inherently detrimental and destructive to the ideals alluded to above. We encourage each and every stakeholder within the local economic development realm to visit our website (www.endumeni.gov.za) for immediate access to our Supply Chain Management Policy, register on our Suppliers Database and respond to various frequently advertised requests for quotations, proposals and all invitations for competitive bids.