Albertina Nakale
The Okahandja municipality CEO Alphons Tjitombo is challenging anyone who claims that he had a hand in the procurement process of a rented truck from Okakarara to carry out municipal work at the garden town to show evidence. This comes after New Era last week quoted a local Swapo councillor, Isaskar Katuuo alleging to have questioned the procurement process of the refuse truck which Tjitombo allegedly approved but had no capacity to do the work. Tjitombo, who feels his good name is being dragged through the mud, claims that such assertions are baseless, null and void.
The truck allegedly operated only for two days before it broke down, and its licence disc is not up to date.It is further alleged the service provider was due to be paid an amount of N$400 000 per month in accordance with bidding and tendering requirements. Equally, it is alleged, after the council discovered the hired truck is not functional, the council ordered the service provider to finish work and the tenderer procured another truck.
Strangely, the newly procured truck, apparently with a Gauteng number plate, broke down again but managed to work for 22 days in addition to the 13-day period that was previously done before the first truck ceased. Tjitombo yesterday clarified emergency procurement was done based on the urgency which was identified by the user department, adding quotations were obtained from three suppliers.
What irked Tjitombo is the fact that Katuoo charged: “Okahandja is very dirty. This is done by administrators. We tried as councillors to bring Okahandja back to its glory days of a clean town but the administrators block us with procurement sections. I asked the CEO why they are hiring a truck with no capacity from Okakarara to do the work. We instructed the CEO to resolve this issue. He can’t tell us there is no capacity. I am very disappointed by the whole staff. Even if we pick up these heaps of rubbish, where are we going to dump it if we don’t have a formalised dumpsite?”
On the allegations that the CEO approved a refuse truck from Okakarara to perform cleaning services while it had no capacity, Tjitombo answered that proof needs to be furnished – and that it be reported to the ACC.
“The procurement of this particular service was done above board by the internal structures. Evidence is there for scrutiny,” he stated.
“The truck of the successful bidder worked for 13 days and when the user department reported that the truck broke down, the council only paid for the 13 days worked and not the full invoice.”
The issue came to light when the majority of Okahandja councillors questioned the continued cancellation of a cleaning tender. The tender in question aims to serve as an emergency response to clean up filth that has become the norm in Okahandja, which was once cherished as one of the
cleanest municipalities in Namibia.
Grievances by the councillors prompted an urgent council meeting a week ago, where they sought answers from Tjitombo and other executive officials on the cancellation of the tender that has now happened three times.
The once ‘garden town’ has been marred with political controversies, which compromise service delivery to residents.
These days, visitors are greeted by heaps of rubbish, especially in the townships, which have become a consistent eyesore to residents and visitors alike.
At the centre of the storm are political differences following the cancellation of the cleaning tender that failed to pass the procurement process for nearly three years. The cleaning tender was first advertised on 15 December 2021 before it was cancelled last year.
The same tender was re-advertised last year and cancelled again before it was advertised once more towards the end of 2022, leading to its cancellation again this month.