(a) The tender in question was allocated a budget of R34 million and not R43 million. The tender was never awarded to any “certain company” before its cancellation. Out of five of the companies that had been shortlisted in terms of technical functionality, two of them were far above the allocated budget thereof, one was above, and two were far below the allocated budget, which would have compromised the quality of the final product.
(b) A Regulation 32 Appointment was done, with strict adherence to requirements related thereto in order to expedite the process of delivering a water purification plant quickly to the community of uMsinga Local Municipality that is experiencing serious water shortages in this time of drought. The company that was eventually awarded a tender and appointed is currently doing a good job at the cost which is within the allocated budget of the project.
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