Daily Archives: June 19, 2021

North West MEC implicated in ‘irregular’ contract worth over R1 million

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Picture: North West MEC for COGHSTA, Mmoloki Cwaile

By OBAKENG MAJE

North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Mmoloki Cwaile is under fire after being accused of misconduct after he allegedly approved an ‘irregular’ contract worth R1, 476,321.74.

This comes after the department appointed a private company, Kone Solutions (PTY) LTD to conduct recruitment process on its behalf. Now, a ‘whistleblower’ within the department who did not want to be named for fear of reprisal said, the contract was irregular and he was ignored even though he tried to warn Cwaile about the imminent danger of approving it. 

“There are upheavals and misappropriations taking place at this department. However, when we highlight that, we are regarded as disruptive and receive hostile treatment. The department appointed Kone Solutions (PTY) LTD to conduct recruitment process for 35 vacant and funded positions with the department.

“This was approved by Cwaile after raising concern regarding the snail pace at which the department is performing regarding the filling of those positions. The appointed company was expected to advertise vacant and funded positions, which include full-service handling, advertise vacant positions, response handling from screening to placement,” he said.

Our source added: “Even though the company is engaged in a transversal contract with the department, seeking approval for deviation from Provincial Treasury could be irregular because full services response handling screening and placement is not part of the contract.”

However, Cwaile refuted the allegations and described them as absurd. He also said even though Kone Solutions (PTY) LTD was not appointed by him, he decided to bring the contract to a grinding halt.  

“This is just a lame attempt from my detractors who want to discredit me because I have uncovered malfeasance at the department. I can tell you now, most employees at the department were hired on nepotism basis.

“In most cases, you will find that all employees at the department are related. The senior managers call their friends, colleagues, and relatives to fill the vacancies regardless of their knowledge, skill, and experience,” Cwaile said.

He further said Kone Solutions (PTY) LTD contract was not irregular because there was an allocation of budget and all the time, the company has been doing business with the department including the North West Provincial Government (NWPG) and national government. Cwaile added that the company had engaged in a transversal contract and it has been appointed by the National Treasury.

“All government departments in the province advertise their tenders through this company. All tenders advertised by departments in the province are written Kone Solutions (PTY) LTD at the bottom. So, there is no single department that advertises posts on its own because that job is done by this company.

“Kone Solutions (PTY) LTD was appointed to advertise, but in terms of their contract, they can shortlist. However, after performing these duties, they will hand over that work to government departments to conduct interviews,” said Cwaile.

He said the reason why they wanted to delegate the recruitment process to Kone Solutions (PTY) LTD is because there is a scenario where some of employees who process vacant posts from the Human Resources Management, only serve themselves.

“Sometimes these employees withhold other requirements when advertising to the public to ensure that these posts favour them. But the important part about appointing Kone Solutions (PTY) LTD was that Directors and Head of Department (HOD) cannot go and sit in a panel of level 5, while there are assistant directors.

“Firstly, when you look at the Human Settlements Department has a shortage of staff. However, we will see all senior managers fighting to be in the panel of level 5, while they were supposed to be doing something fruitful with their time,” he said.

Cwaile said despite inheritance of some challenges from the former homeland of the Bophuthatswana government, most of the personnel who were supposed to process these vacant posts are unqualified and do not even have matric certificates,” he said.

Cwaile said his department has over 200 vacant posts with a budget of R600 million.

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Opinion: ‘Kaunda was a true Pan Africanist and selfless leader’

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Picture: Orapeleng “Vanilla” Matshediso

By ORAPELENG MATSHEDISO

Reading from what comrade President Oliver Tambo had to say about the late Zambia President, Ntate Kenneth Kaunda, I am convinced that indeed, he was a true Pan Africanist, a committed patriot and a selfless leader of our continent.

On 16 December 1990, at the ANC rally that was held at Soccer City in Johannesburg, Ntate President Oliver Tambo said: “I came on Thursday, having spent a whole week with the world’s greatest man, Kenneth David Kaunda in Zambia. I ought to let you know that hidden somewhere in the chest of that man, lies a great lover of humanity.

“He also sent a team of six of his top men to accompany the flight he offered to bring us home. Three of them are present in this gathering. We are more than grateful to him.”

The former President, Thabo Mbeki in his tribute to Ntate Kenneth Kaunda, has eloquently posited that this astute leader of the mother continent housed and supported the ANC headquarters for 20 years in his country, Zambia under his presidency.

Indeed, ingrained in his heart was a love for the people of Africa as a whole, Ntate Kaunda was a leader whose brilliant mind was never on recess. It is vividly clear that this fallen hero and a patriot of note had unflinching love for the ANC and the liberation of our continent from the yoke of colonialism.

Let I befittingly borrow the words of the former President and astute Vietnamese communist leader, comrade Ho Chi Minh to describe Ntate Kenneth Kaunda.

“I have had only one aim in life; to struggle for the good of the country and the well-being of my people. It is for this reason that I have had to hide in the mountains and crouch in prison. Whatever the moment, whatever the place, I have had a single aim, the interest of the nation, the good of the people.

“About personal matters-all my life, I have served the fatherland, the revolution, and the people with all my heart and strength. If I should now depart from this world, I would have nothing to regret, except not being able to serve longer and more.”

Accordingly, his departure serves as an end of an era of the generation of African leaders who were prepared to die in defense of the mother continent and their natural resources. Indeed, Dr Kaunda dedicated his entire life to the service of humanity.

Therefore, in his honor, let us preserve the rich history of the ANC. Let us defend and advance its unity, renewal, and rebuilding program.Let us resuscitate Pan-Africanism and advance Africa’s agenda 2063, as well as strengthening African Union and its structures in pursuance of transformation and development of the continent.

This fallen Pan Africanist would definitely be welcomed by his generation, which formed Organization of African Unity OAU.

He will have to present a comprehensive report to comrade Julius Nyerere, Kwame Nkrumah, SekuToure, General Gamal Abdul Nasser, and many other departed heroes and heroines on the state of the continent and its Pan-Africanist agenda.

As an honest leader, he would give a true account of the state of African Union, which is the successor organization of OAU and how the current generation of African leaders have allowed Africa’s resources to be used to develop Western countries, while many of our fellow brothers and sisters in the continent are living in abject poverty, harrowing unemployment and inequality as well as underdevelopment.

I am quite certain that in his report, he would include the recent developments and anarchy that occurred at the Pan-Africanist Parliament.

Rest in peace Ntate Kenneth Kaunda, a leader par excellence and a Pan-Africanist of note.

Note: Orapeleng Vanilla Matshediso is a former Secretary-General and the President of the Students Representative Council (SRC) at North West University. He is also the former President of Golden Key International Honour Society at NWU and a member of the ANC at Dr Ruth Mompati Region in North West. He writes in his personal capacity as a social activist and his views do not necessarily represent Taung DailyNews or its associates.