City cautions businesses over tender scam
“The City does not know the degree to which the scammers have approached the businesses.”
The Tshwane metro has warned business sectors looking to fulfil tenders for the city, to be wary of a fraudulent wheelchair procurement scam.
The metro said the fraudulent activities were being disguised as procurement requests from the city.
Spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the caution to businesses was highlighted after follow-ups, addressed to the Tshwane metro, by companies on RFQ’s (request for quotation) to provide 26 units of motorised wheelchairs.
“It is disheartening to discover that unsuspecting companies are still defrauded this way.
“The city does not know the degree to which the scammers have approached the businesses,” he said urging the public to be vigilant when dealing with tenders.
Mashigo said fortunately, most businesses knew the SCM processes, hence they enquired if there was such a request for quotations.
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“It is appalling how these scammers prey on the emotions of unsuspecting businesses by presenting invalid information about the existence of a tender advert.”
Mashigo said Tshwane’s supply chain procurement adverts were all placed on the official website of the metro, with all relevant documentation relating to the advert, made obtainable from e-tenders at the national treasury website.
He said requests for RFQ would only come from vendormaster@tshwane.gov.za with contact details of a supply chain official for enquiries and not any other e-mail addresses.
“The city wishes to also warn those peddling such false information that they will be arrested, charged and prosecuted as their actions border on criminality.
“Furthermore, we urge the public to report such cases to the city’s anti-fraud hotline on 080 874 9263 or email cot@thecorruptionhotline.com, alternatively, the Tshwane metro police department on 012 358 7095/96 whenever they come across such adverts that are issued outside the norms and procedures of the City’s processes.”
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