Following an article we published on Monday regarding security personnel, who had not been paid at the incomplete Winnie Madizela Museum in Brandfort in Masilonyane Local Municipality and two security guards without basic security resources, Step Up SA News can confirm that Department of Sport, Arts and Culture in Free State only paid Tabure SEC LTD PTY on Monday and the two male security personnel only got paid their July salaries on Thursday and it remains to be seen whether they will be paid their August salaries on time or not.
While the department had its tender briefing session on 29 July in a bid to find a company that would provide security services for its 55 sites across the province, Step Up SA News has it on good authority that 32 companies attended the compulsory virtual briefing and only 16 had purchased the tender document as per department’s website.
Interestingly, companies that did not attend the briefing sessions in July were shortlisted and the winning company will get a three-year contract.
For close to two years now Tabure SEC PTY LTD has had a month-to-month contract with department of Sport, Arts and Culture with payments always delayed while Sinqobile Security Services pulled out in August 2019 due to late payments by the department and subsequently closed its remote office in Bloemfontein.
According to a source, Tabure SEC PTY LTD has been with the department for nine years.
Asked why he attended the briefing, but did not bid, our source blamed the department of Sport, Arts and Culture.
“What the department did to Sinqobile Security taught me a lesson. They frustrated the poor guys with late payments until they pulled out and closed their Bloem offices. They still pay Tabure late and it’s not like we have millions in our accounts so I am saving myself from frustration and unnecessary risks,” our source said.
Another source said the fact that a government department wants bidders to have R800 000 in their accounts is anti-black.
“Our government is failing us. One of the conditions is to have R800 000 in our accounts, l mean that’s anti-black. Let them give it to white people. This is a spit in the face of emerging companies,” the second source said.
In her budget vote for 2020/21 MEC Limakatso Mahasa said: “Honourable Speaker, the Budget Allocation of the Department for the 2020/2021 Financial Year is 601 million 751 thousand rand.”
With regard to vandalism at recreation centres MEC said: “We have noted the recommendations of the Portfolio Committee on Public Accounts and
Finance regarding the Appropriation Bill which we received on 22 July 2020. Our priorities will
be as follows:
• Capacitation of Supply Chain Management Unit.
• Prevent burglary and vandalism of our sport and recreational centres, museums and libraries by appointing security personnel and upgrade security on our facilities by installing CCTV cameras and alarms that are linked to armed-response companies.”
Roughly four months later the department struggled to find a suitable company for its 55 sites.
Step Us SA News visited the department’s website and can confirm that in 2017 the department invited bidders and 21 companies were shortlisted for bid number: SCM-INFR 04/2013 and it’s not clear if any company was appointed, but according to the bid document it was a three-year contract, however, in 2019 the department invited bidders again for bid number SCM01/2019 and no appointment was made.
A security expert, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said failure by government to appoint a security company in over two years requires consequence management.
“Its appalling to think a government such as sport, arts and culture tasked with heritage sites among others will fail to appoint a security company. This is no longer about incompetence, it borders on corruption. Someone is benefitting from this mess. This has to be investigated and there must be consequence management,” the security expert said.
On Tuesday, the department postponed the renaming of Brandfort to Winnie Mandela Town after Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthetwa advised the province to allow the 30-day cooling off period to attend objections.
The Democratic Alliance’s George Michalakis took aim at the provincial government and the MEC.
“The provincial government, in fact, has no regard for due processes, the law and the democratic principle of inclusivity. If MEC Limakatso Mahasa would take a moment to wipe the egg off her face resulting from this fiasco, she would see that there is a real need within this community to be heard and not to be side-lined, on this matter,” Michalakis said.
“In the meantime, we urge MEC Mahasa and her department to calm down for a while, to familiarise themselves with democratic principles and due process and to take some time to listen to the whole community of Brandfort something that should have been done in the first place.”
Mahasa had not responded to questions sent by Step Up SA News.
This is a developing story.
I work with tabure Sec since 2018 till they fired me for dismissal on 2023,when we talked about increase in the salary because we get R2500 at that time in Botshabelo Library sechaba Mahobe.