Picture: A call centre that causes an outcry/Google
By REGINALD KANYANE
The Municipal Manager at the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality, Itumeleng Jonas said they will not be side-tracked by mischievous reports that, the municipality has paid a R38 million for a call centre. Jonas, who was speaking to Newzroom Afrika TV channel said, they have responded to a clarion call made by the North West Provincial Government (NWPG) to have a call centre in each district to dichotomise service delivery challenges.
“The process in terms of the appointment of the service provider was done in December 2021. In February 2022, the former Municipal Manager, awarded the tender to the bidder. The appointment letter stated categorically that, the service provider was appointed for three years to the tune of R38 million.
“The appointment letter stipulated that annually, the municipality has to budget a R12 million. In that R12 million, there are certain activities included such as the appointment of individuals, the annual licence fee, monthly fee and Adhoc training,” he said.
Jonas said the council approved a budget for a call centre and all processes unfolded were above board. He further said the appointed service provider was the lowest amongst them all.
“The inclusive monthly fees to the training component, are to the value of R1.4 million. So, at this particular moment, we have not paid R38 million. All payments will be subjected to the approval.
“We have received calls from various community members regarding sewage spillages and shortages of water through the call centre and we were able to address those challenges,” added Jonas.
However, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in North West said they would engage various law enforcement agencies to probe the tender. According to allegations, the approval of the tender was done, while the EFF executive mayor, Tebogo Babuile was at the helm of the municipality.
The EFF provincial spokesperson, Fanon Moema said: “I think we must make it quite clear that, as we were working in the office, we have never received such a discussion or never been in a position, where the Office of the Speaker, summoned the executive mayor to the council to discuss such item in a special council meeting.
“So, we are quite surprised by the revelations that office of the former executive mayor, Tebogo Babuile was really faced with such discussion. So, we have never came to a point where we discussed such. So, we are not aware of that particular call centre.”
Meanwhile, the chairperson of North West Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Premier, Finance, Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Aaron Motswana alleged that, the municipality created a duplicate call centre with public funds that were meant for service delivery.
“We urge the North West acting Premier, Nono Maloyi to take necessary steps to stop rampant corruption, fraud and looting at an industrial scale in the municipality.
“This shows thuggery, theft, and fraud of the highest order that when thieves ran out of ideas on how to authorise theft of taxpayers’ monies, the only logic was for them to create a shack and imaginary computers, handheld radios and vehicles to justify their greed,” he said.
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