Steve Tshwete Municipal Manager Advocate Bheki says his move to defend the municipality from being captured, has been justified by the recent Court ruling.
This follows MHRF’s failed attempt to get an order to interdict a R74 million tender to build a sub-station in Mhluzi saying the process of awarding the tender, to FTech Services, lacked transparency. The case was dismissed by the Middelburg High Court last week Tuesday saying the applicants, MHRF and the African Communities Land and Mining Compliance Organisation (ACLMCO), failed to follow proper application procedures.
Speaking to Highveld Chronicles on Wednesday, Khenisa said the municipality had welcomed the ruling. “We are satisfied with the outcome. We see it as defeat of any unscrupulous attempt to use the law to further one’s selfish interests,” he said. “We will not allow ourselves to be captured by certain individuals wanting to dictate and influence supply chain processes to the bennefit of their friends and relatives. That is state capture at its best,” he said.
Khenisa further said that he was not interested in politicking. “I am not interested in the politics that Thato and his party seem to be playing because that is not for me,”
he said. “All I am focusing on making is to make sure that the people of Middelburg get the services hence the sub-station. It is unfortunate that some people who are more privileged think only for themselves, not for the majority who deserve uninterrupted supply of electricity,” he said.
On the other hand, Mathunyane said failing to get an order does not stop them in the pursuit of justice. “We will be filing a new application on the high court normal roll to deal with the merits of the matter. In view of the unprecedented public interest around this matter, and its potential to affect public confidence in our courts, we believe the case should be decided on its merits, not on the basis of procedural technicalities. We deny insinuations that this is political, he must just do an honorable thing to answer why he appoints companies that do not qualify in terms of the CIDB because he is putting us in a life threatening situation,” Mathunyane said.
