By Thys Khiba – The African National Congress (ANC) in Fezile Dabi region has advised the Metsimaholo Local Municipality Municipal Manager to remove the Executive Mayor Jeff Zwane’s body guard and driver Tubatsi Sefatsana as a technical contact person on the a security tender issued by the municipality.

“The ANC in Fezile Dabi Region is deeply worried by the comedy of errors, including the unashamed irregular appointment of the Executive Mayor Cllr Zwane’s bodyguard and driver as contact person for a Security Tender contract at Metsimaholo Local Municipality,” said ANC Regional Coordinator Thabo Mabasa.
Mabasa alleges that the decision by the Municipal Manager Advocate L Mofokeng to appoint Sefatsana as the end-user is deliberate and intended to ensure Zwane ‘direct the procurement process behind the scene towards a predetermined outcome’.
“The bodyguard of Executive Mayor must immediately be removed from the process and the ANC calls be more transparency, including the constituting of the full tender adjudication team in handling of this process,” said Mabasa.
This comes after Free State Central News reported Zwane has allegedly appointed his body guard and driver as a technical contact person in a publicly advertised security tender.

On Monday, 03 October the municipality publicly announced and invited bids for the provision of security services for the municipality renewable annually, for a period of three years (3YRS).
Zwane told Free State Central News that the Municipal Manager of Metsimaholo municipality, Mofokeng is responsible for the appointment of Sefatsana as the ‘end-user.’
According to the spokesperson for the municipality, Dr Gino Alberts, the decision taken by the Municipal Manager was taken after the current Metsimaholo Municipality Security Manager, Cindi decided to rescued himself from the process.
“He sighted reasons known by the Municipality and based on the request, permission for his recusal was granted,” said Alberts.
Economic Freedom Figthers (EFF) Provincial Secreatary Bosanku Msimanga said Cindi rescued himself from the process after the Municipal Manager allegedly changed the specifications of the security tender.
Mabasa confirmed they will seek clarity as to why the initial tender process is abandoned and this tender re-advertised, what changes are made on the specifications. He said the party wants to see the letter of the Security Manager and reasons why he recused himself must be made available to municipal council and parties before this process go any further.
“It is very suspicious that this Security Tender is being re-advertised and suddenly the Security Manager at the Municipality is unwilling to participate in the Tender process, the Security Coordinator is on suspension and we are told the remaining contact person on the abandoned tender process is conveniently on leave,” said Mabasa.

Amongst other factors, the municipality said the Municipal Manager took a decision to appoint the mayor’s bodyguard and driver as the ‘end-user’ due to the Security Coordinator who is on suspension pending investigation.
In addition to the stated reasons by the municipality, the decision was taken, “the third person who was appointed as the end-user in the previous tender is currently on leave and waiting for his return would have delayed the process.”
“It is common knowledge that a Mayor’s bodyguard takes instruction from the Mayor on Security matters and nothing stops the bodyguard from being influenced or instructed by his boss on this tender process. The ANC is convinced these shenanigans are deliberate for the purpose of awarding the Security Tender corruptly to a pre-selected company, which will soon be revealed,” said Mabasa.
The ANC in the region has expressed its disappointment on the decisions taken by Mofokeng to appoint Sefatsana. The party alleges that the Municipal Manager is operating inside the pockets of politicians and driven by other interests besides providing corruption free services to the community of Metsimaholo.
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