THE DA in the Free State has called for immediate investigation into the awarding of the Mangaung African Cultural Festival (Macufe) contract to C-squared group.
DA shadow finance spokesman David van Vuuren said the party had requested the provincial public accounts committee to investigate the contract by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.
This after the Free State High Court in Bloemfontein declared the contract unlawful. It also declared invalid the service level agreement between the department and bidder, C-Squared group.
The urgent application was filed by DS Consortium, accusing the government of irregularities in the awarding of the contract and stating that the process was not fair.
Judge Philip Loubser's verdict was in favour of applicant Mosa Likobo, the director of DS Consortium, ruling that the department's decision to appoint C-Squared as service provider had been reviewed, was unlawful and set aside.
During the hearing, DS Consortium's legal representative Joubert Zietsman submitted that the specifications of the tender was changed without notification, displaying an element of unfairness to other bidders.
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"The department has failed to submit an appointment letter showing that C-Squared was appointed as service provider of Macufe. However, there is no agreement between the two parties," Zietsman told the court.
Both the department and C-Squared were ordered to pay legal costs, collectively.
"Concerns over the contract have been raised for several years by the DA, and this judgment vindicates suspicion regarding the illegal awarding of tenders. We hereby request the provincial public accounts committee to open an immediate investigation to interrogate the department regarding the appointment. We request that any money paid out illegally be recovered from individuals involved, and we will also consider the possibility of further pursuing criminal charges," said Van Vuuren.
Spokesman Tankiso Zola said the department had taken note of the judgment to review and set aside the award.
"We further take note of the judge's remarks that Macufe must go ahead as the judgment is not stopping it. As matters stand, Macufe is proceeding based on the judge's clarification," said Zola.
