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Memorandum from the Parliamentary Office
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION 704
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 07/03/2011
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER 04 OF 2011)
Dr J C Kloppers-Lourens (DA) to ask the Minister of Higher Education and
Training:
1) Whether, with reference to the DOE 140 project for upgrading academic
and support services buildings at the Bloemfontein Central University
of Technology (CUT), any staff of CUT or his department have been
implicated for being involved with or linked to any company that was
awarded a tender; if so, (a) which staff members, (b) from which
institution, (c) regarding which tender, (d) to which company was the
specified tender awarded, (e) in which way were the staff members
involved with or linked to the tender in question and (f) in what way
has their involvement influenced the tender in each case;
2) whether his department will subject the entire tender process for the
Bloemfontein part of the DOE 140 project to a complete audit; if not,
why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
NW756E
REPLY:
1.(a) No staff of CUT or any of its faculties or support divisions has been
implicated in conflict of interest to do with the awarding of a tender to
any company that bid for a tender related to the DoE 140 Infrastructure
Project for upgrading academic and support services buildings at CUT.
There are very strict procedures governing the adjudication of tenders,
starting with those who sit in the Bid Adjudication Committee. Every member
of this committee is required to sign a declaration, that absolves each
from a conflict of interest and it is then kept on record. In addition, a
separate item in the agenda for declarations of conflicts of interest is
added and the chairperson of the meeting asks members to declare them, if
any. Thus, there are opportunities for any employee of the University who
has ties with any company that is awarded a tender, to declare such
interest. The failure to do is subject to very harsh sanctions including
dismissal. No employee of the University involved in the tender processes
has declared any such conflict of interest.
2.) As part of oversight by DHET, the University sends audited annual
progress reports on the project. A progress report will be submitted every
year until the conclusion of the project in 2012/2013. The financial
statements contained in these reports are independently audited.
Compiler/contact persons: Kirti Menon/ Brenda Swart
Ext: 5284/5262
ACTING DIRECTOR â GENERAL
STATUS:
DATE:
QUESTION 704 APPROVED/NOT APPROVED/AMENDED
Dr B NZIMANDE, MP
MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING
STATUS:
DATE: