REQUEST FOR AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION INTO TENDERS AWARDED BY THE OVERSTRAND MUNICIPALITY THROUGH AN UNSUBSTANTIATED DEVIATION PROCESS

The EMS Foundation has requested an independent and transparent investigation into the Overstrand Municipality tender process which involved an unsubstantiated deviation process the total value of the tender in question is R30 997 913.50.

Despite the correspondence titled Concern and Request for Transparency and Accountability with regard to the Overstrand Strategic Baboon Management Plan and its Implementation which was sent to all the Overstrand Municipality Representatives and Ward Councillors, and which was made public on the 30th of May 2023, the Overstrand Municipality took the controversial decision in June 2023 to extend the contract of the service provider, Human Wildlife Solutions, until 7th December 2024.

Furthermore, and of grave concern, the Overstrand Municipality and its representatives have not been able to offer any valued response to the pressing contents of the aforementioned letter. In particular, the reasons why, and the tangible proof of the emergency situations that were said to exist that resulted in deviations to the tender process.

The EMS Foundation addressed their concerns in an open letter addressed to the Overstrand Municipality Member of Finance on Monday 24th July 2023.

Mayor Rabie in her response written within on the same day, to the EMS Foundation letter of concern, alluded to the fact that a full S106 investigation into the awarding of the baboon management tenders was done by the Office of the MEC for Local Government in early 2021. This information was not provided to the EMS Foundation by the municipality in any response to our PAIA requests.

Read the full document which contains the copies of all the correspondences.

Image Credit: Jenny Parsons

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