Keetmans Council and tender board in tussle over deals

THE Keetmanshoop Town Council Management Committee has recommended that all activities of the town’s tender board be halted immediately because of alleged irregularities in a recent tender allocation.

The move by the management committee was taken at a meeting held on September 6. The Council’s Management Committee Chairman, Basil Brown proposed the motion seconded by Arnold Losper, The Namibian has established.A reliable source said only that Losper and Brown had attended the meeting.Brown yesterday confirmed the recommendation.He said the management wanted to see full documentation of all tenders awarded recently.”We’re in total dark, therefore there is a need to scrutinise recent tenders,” he said.Brown singled out the Iileni Informal Settlement Electrification project, adding that it was suspected that there was something fishy about the tender allocation.However, some believe that the recommended action by the management committee is in retaliation over a recent tender board decision to evict Brown from a 600 hectare municipal plot he rented at a monthly fee of N$486,50.Brown denied the allegation.”I was allocated the plot on a council resolution and nobody is going to keep me hostage over a piece of land in trying to keep my lips tight,” he said.The electrification project – funded by the Ministry of Local Government’s Housing Project at a estimated cost of N$1 million – was awarded to Windhoek-based MS Construction Company owned by Malcolm Strauss.However, the project, which was to be completed by mid-June this year, is still not finished.The electrification project involves the installation of two flood lights as well as the setting up of a new grid to supply the settlement’s 229 erven with electricity.Commenting on the alleged tender irregularities, the Municipality’s Chief Executive Officer, Jeremia Shangadhi, denied the allegations.He said the tender board conducted its activities transparently and was not involved in any corrupt practices.Shangadhi acknowledged that MS Construction Company had not completed the project by the due date.”Yes, we terminated the contract, but luckily enough no losses were incurred because payouts were done after completion of work per phases,” he said.Shangadhi said Council was consulted about all tenders awarded recently.The Council’s Management Committee Chairman, Basil Brown proposed the motion seconded by Arnold Losper, The Namibian has established.A reliable source said only that Losper and Brown had attended the meeting.Brown yesterday confirmed the recommendation.He said the management wanted to see full documentation of all tenders awarded recently. “We’re in total dark, therefore there is a need to scrutinise recent tenders,” he said.Brown singled out the Iileni Informal Settlement Electrification project, adding that it was suspected that there was something fishy about the tender allocation.However, some believe that the recommended action by the management committee is in retaliation over a recent tender board decision to evict Brown from a 600 hectare municipal plot he rented at a monthly fee of N$486,50.Brown denied the allegation.”I was allocated the plot on a council resolution and nobody is going to keep me hostage over a piece of land in trying to keep my lips tight,” he said.The electrification project – funded by the Ministry of Local Government’s Housing Project at a estimated cost of N$1 million – was awarded to Windhoek-based MS Construction Company owned by Malcolm Strauss.However, the project, which was to be completed by mid-June this year, is still not finished. The electrification project involves the installation of two flood lights as well as the setting up of a new grid to supply the settlement’s 229 erven with electricity.Commenting on the alleged tender irregularities, the Municipality’s Chief Executive Officer, Jeremia Shangadhi, denied the allegations.He said the tender board conducted its activities transparently and was not involved in any corrupt practices.Shangadhi acknowledged that MS Construction Company had not completed the project by the due date.”Yes, we terminated the contract, but luckily enough no losses were incurred because payouts were done after completion of work per phases,” he said.Shangadhi said Council was consulted about all tenders awarded recently.