GOVT FIGHTS RE-ISSUED TENDER CERTIFICATE

MBABANE – The procurement of furniture for schools by government for 2018/2019 has been thrown into disarray. Government has withdrawn its intention to award the tender to ERG Swaziland (PTY) Limited after it was discovered that it allegedly submitted a fraudulent Labour Compliance Certificate during the tendering process.

The now contentious tender is worth over E800 000. The Independent Review Committee of the Swaziland Procurement Regulatory Agency, however, ruled in favour of ERG Swaziland (PTY) Limited. This was after the Labour Commissioner re-issued the company with another Labour Compliance certificate which was, this time around, authentic.

The committee further set aside the awarding of the tender to another company, Marithas Investment (PTY) Limited. The decision by the independent review committee has resulted in government filing an application at the High Court. Government is now seeking an order reviewing and setting aside the decision of the chairman of the Independent Review Commission of the Swaziland Public Procurement Regulatory Agency.

Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Education and Training Dr Sibongile Mtshali submitted that the High Court had the inherent jurisdiction to hear and determine the matter. “The Eswatini Government has an obligation to provide school furniture timeosuly to schools without prejudicing learners at school,” argued the PS.

Giving a background of the matter, Mtshali stated that earlier this year, the Ministry of Education sought to procure furniture needed in schools around the country. She said due to the urgency thereof, the ministry sought permission from the Government Tender Board to use the Limited Tender process of acquiring the furniture. “This meant that the tender would not be advertised in the media, but the ministry had to prepare the tender documents as well as invitations to suppliers they had worked with before,” said the PS.

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