HIGHLY SKILLED EXPERTS ENLISTED FOR RSTP FORENSIC PROBE

MBABANE-“We have utmost confidence in the quality of our work, which consistently demonstrates its excellence and integrity.” These are the sentiments of Dumi Fazoe Gumede (Gumede), Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dede Management Consultancy (Pty) Ltd.Dede was contracted to investigate the Royal Science and Technology Park (RSTP).
Gumede affirms that his company possesses the requisite credentials to be awarded the forensic investigation tender. This follows recent reports from a local publication questioning the company’s credibility and the award of the E4 million tender for the investigation.

Gumede firmly stated that the tender was awarded based on merit, without any favouritism. The CEO stated that they submitted their technical and financial proposals in compliance with the tender requirements for the forensic audit. He stated that the contract evaluation and award were conducted exclusively by the independent bid evaluation committee, in accordance with Eswatini’s public procurement regulations.

Gumede further affirmed that they were not involved in the decision-making process regarding the selection of the winning bidder. When asked about the factors that secured his company the tender, Gumede stated that the selection was based on the bid evaluation committee’s independent and objective assessment of its qualifications, experience and compliance with the mandatory criteria outlined in the tender documents. He affirmed that the selection process adhered to established procurement regulations, ensuring only qualified and eligible bidders were considered.

To his knowledge, he said no bidder has filed a complaint with the Tender Board, auditor general (AG) or the Eswatini Public Procurement and Regulatory Agency (ESPPRA) regarding the award of the forensic audit tender. Gumede emphasised that any legitimate concerns should have been addressed through formal procurement dispute resolution mechanisms. The absence of such complaints, he noted, strongly indicates that the tender process was conducted fairly and transparently in full compliance with applicable procurement regulations.

Reputation

He further asserted that his company maintains a strong reputation and should not be associated with alleged broader procurement controversies in Eswatini, particularly, allegedly those related to past forensic investigations into fraud, corruption and mismanagement. Gumede highlighted that forensic audits are governed by Eswatini’s procurement laws, particularly the Public Procurement Act, 2011 ‘the Act’, which provides for broader discretion in tender awards. Citing Section 17(1) of the Act, he stated that procurement authorities may consider not only evaluation scores, but also factors such as a bidder’s capacity, expertise, experience and the overall value offered to the public.

Additionally, he referenced Section 19 of the Act, which empowers procuring entities to exercise discretion in aligning procurement decisions with public interest and efficiency, provided such discretion is applied fairly and transparently. He stated that the procurement process, as prescribed by the Act and supported by case law, mandates a holistic evaluation of tenders rather than a selection based solely on the highest score, ensuring that procurement decisions serve the public interest. During the interview, the CEO outlined the company’s past clients in HR and forensic solutions, referring this publication to its website. These notable clients include:

l    TUT;
l    BestMed;
l    EswatiniBank;
l    STANLIB;
l    Standard Bank of South Africa Limited (SBSA Ltd.);
l    City of Joburg entities;
l    Doves, among others;

Gumede refuted claims that his company lacks a significant client base or expertise in forensic auditing, asserting that it possesses all necessary credentials. He stated that the technical forms submitted for the RSTP tender detailed its relevant expertise, extensive experience and client engagements, all of which are publicly available on the company’s website. He further emphasised that the company’s technical proposal (Form TECH-2B), submitted as part of the tender process, explicitly outlined its prior experience and client portfolio.

This document, he noted, provided comprehensive evidence of the company’s proficiency in forensic auditing, financial investigations and related consultancy services, affirming its capability to execute the RSTP forensic audit in compliance with required standards. The investigation into the operations of the RSTP came about following many concerns that were raised from different quarters, including Parliament. Last year, Minister for Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Savannah Maziya was questioned about auditing the institution by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

The PAC told the minister that lawmakers would be compelled to instruct the ministry to initiate a forensic audit of the RSTP to verify the accuracy of the allegations circulating about financial mismanagement within the institution if the ministry did not institute an audit itself. Also, the PAC raised concerns that issues reported in the media were rarely reflected in the performance reports submitted to Parliament, raising concerns over transparency. Some of the PAC members criticised the RSTP for failing to generate revenue for the country, urging the minister to ensure that the RSTP realises its full potential.

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