More from Beeld and Die Burger's winning series of stories
‘Spoor van tender HK 2/2005 wys konkelry’
Second story of the series which goes with the Scandal rocks prison services one following it below
Nov 17 2006 11:49:55:003AM – (SA)
Mens sou seker van ’n IT-maatskappy, wat binne een jaar byna ’n
halfmiljardrand se staatstenders gekry het, kon verwag om ’n webwerf te
hê.
Nie Sondolo IT nie.
Dié maatskappy, wat ná ’n vlaag ontsnappings deur die DKD gekontrakteer
is om veiligheid by die land se oorbevolkte tronke op te skerp, lieg op
sy briefhoof.
Want www.sondolo.com bestaan nie.
Moet ook nie probeer om vir mnr. Gavin Watson, uitvoerende hoof van die
Bosasa-groep waarvan Sondolo IT deel is, ’n e-pos te stuur nie. Hy
gebruik nie dié gerief nie, deel sy sekretaresse jou mee.
“Een van die grootste tenders in die geskiedenis van die
veiligheidsbedryf is toegeken aan ’n non-player,†som ’n ingeligte oor
dié bedryf dit op.
Hy verwys na tender HK 2/2005, wat op 4 Februarie 2005 in die staat se
tenderbulletin geadverteer is. “Verskaffing, aflewering, installering,
opdraggewing, ondersteuning en onderhouding van ’n omvattende
toegangsbeheer-en-liggaamÂÂÂskanderingstelsel met kringtelevisiedekking
van die DKD se personeel en gevangenes, by 66
maksimumveiligheidsgeriewe of sentrums van uitnemendheid.â€ÂÂ
Die IT-bedryf het sy lippe afgelek – dié was ’n gróte wat vir lánk baie werk sou skep.
Groot name soos Dimension Data, JFE, CEB Wananchi, Pinnacle Technology
Holdings en AST het getender, maar op 29 April 2005 is die kontrak teen
R237 miljoen (vier jaar onderhoud ingesluit) toegeken aan die onbekende
Sondolo IT.
Ná ’n ondersoek van ses maande onthul Beeld en Die Burger vandag dat
Sondolo IT se naam oor dié kontrak geskryf was nog vóórdat die tender
amptelik geadverteer is.
Nadat die ondersoekspan vroeër vanjaar onthul het komm. Linda Mti, die
nasionale tronkhoof, het bande met die Bosasa-groep van maatskappye,
het die DKD sy bes probeer om Mti en sy departement se tenderprosesse
te verdedig.
Die DKD se woordvoerders het, dikwels maande nadat vrae aan hulle gerig
is, Beeld beskuldig van verskuilde agendas en gesê die koerant voer ’n
emosionele stryd teen Mti en die departement.
Tydens ’n vergadering van die parlementêre portefeuljekomitee vir
korrektiewe dienste het min. Ngconde Balfour LP’s selfs gewaarsku om
nie gemanipuleer te word deur joernaliste se agendas nie, maar die
feite vas te stel.
Op sy beurt het Sondolo IT die oorspronklike verbintenis tussen dié
maatskappy en Mti probeer verklein en via sy prokureurs die koerant
daarvan beskuldig dat hy deur “onbekende partye†aangehits word.
’n Dokument in Beeld se besit bevestig egter die vermoedens van
onsuksesvolle tenderaars X dat Sondolo IT ’n “binnebaan†gehad het toe
hierdie multimiljoenrand-tender toegeken is.
Beeld het op 31 Maart begin om die verhouding tussen die DKD en die
Bosasa-groep te ontrafel toe daar berig is oor Mti se private
maatskappy wat vir hom deur ’n Bosasa-werknemer geregistreer is.
Lianorah Investment Consultancy is op 14 Februarie 2005 deur mnr. Tony
Perry vir die tronkhoof geregistreer. Perry is die maatskappysekretaris
van firmas in die Bosasa-groep en ’n indirekte aandeelhouer van Sondolo
IT.
Hoewel Beeld nie bewus is daarvan dat Mti betrokke was by die
tenderkonkelry nie, kan onthul word dat sy verbintenis met die
Bosasa-groep veel dieper strek as waaroor oorspronklik berig is.
In die 1980’s, toe Mti bevelvoerder was van die ANC se gewapende
vleuel, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), was van die mense wat aan hom
gerapporteer het die legendariese Watson-broers van Port Elizabeth.
In 1997 het die Australiese joernalis Kristin Williamson ’n boek oor
die Watson-broers geskryf. Hoewel Brothers to us ook kritiek op hul
lewe bevat, is dit grotendeels ’n heldeverering van vier wit broers
wat, gedryf deur hul Christenskap, opgestaan het teen die
apartheidsregime.
Hulle het Springbokrugby geboikot en finansiële verliese gely weens hul
weiering om deel te wees van ’n stelsel wat gebaseer was op
rasse-segregasie.
Williamson belig ook hulle rol in die ANC se ondergrondse struggle. Die
Watsons se familiebesigheid in Port Elizabeth is gebruik as
bymekaarkomplek vir kaders en hulle finansiële bydraes tot die ANC se
koffers was beduidend.
Later is Valence en Ronnie Watson gewerf as lede van MK se
intelligensie. Gavin en Cheeky het die ANC gehelp om sport, sake en die
kerk te verpolitiseer.
Dit is hier waar die Watsons se paaie gekruis het met dié van komm. Linda “Richman†Mti.
Tot 1991 was Mti die bevelvoerder van MK. In dieselfde jaar is hy
aangewys as die ANC se voorsitter in dié party se bakermat, die
Oos-Kaap. In 1994 is hy bevorder tot ANC-LP en beklee die posisie van
voorsitter van die portefeuljekomitee vir veiligheid en sekuriteit.
Twee jaar later word Mti hoof van die Nasionale
Intelligensiekoördineringskomitee (Nikok) en sedert Augustus 2001,
nadat dr. Khulekani Sithole onder ’n wolk van finansiële wanbestuur
bedank het, is Mti die nasionale tronkhoof.
Verskeie betroubare bronne het die afgelope ses maande aan Beeld en Die
Burger bevestig dat Bosasa lánk voordat tender HK 2/2005 op 4 Februarie
2005 geadverteer is, reeds daarvan geweet het. En hoewel Bosasa dit
steeds ontken, vertel ’n dokument in Beeld se besit dieselfde verhaal.
’n Forensiese dokumente-ondersoek, wat in opdrag van Beeld gedoen is,
het elektronies die oorspronklike datum waarop dié dokument geskep is,
bepaal en die bewerings van tenderkonkelry bevestig.
Op 17 Desember 2004, om 16:26, is ’n dokument getiteld “Technical
specifications misc complete†deur gebruiker “Corrieb†op ’n
Bosasa-rekenaar geskep. Dié lêer is later gestoor deur “Johanâ€ÂÂ.
Hierdie dokument bewys dat die Bosasa-groep nie net geweet het tender
HK 2/2005 kom nie, maar ook groot dele van die tegniese spesifikasies
vÃÂÂr die DKD geskryf het.
Beeld het vasgestel “Corrieb†verwys na mnr. Corrie Botes, Bosasa se
nakomingsbestuurder, en “Johan†na mnr. Johan Helmand, voormalige hoof
van tegnologie by die groep (waaronder Sondolo IT).
Beeld het prof. Basie von Solms, hoof van die Universiteit van
Johannesburg se akademie vir inligtingstegnologie, gevra om die
tegniese spesifikasies van die amptelike tenderdokument met die
Bosasa-dokument te vergelyk.
Volgens Von Solms kom ongeveer 11 bladsye (33%) van die tegniese
spesifikasies “direk of baie naby verwant†uit die Bo- sasa-dokument.
Die Bosasa-dokument is getiteld “Security road barrier and boom
combination†en bevat tegniese spesifikasies vir ’n omvattende
veililgheidstelsel.
Groot dele daarvan, soos die spesifikasies vir digitale video-opnemers
(DVR’s), is woordeliks in die amptelike tender gedupliseer. Hier en
daar is sinskonstruksies verander en woorde bygevoeg of uitgelaat.
Op 10 Februarie 2005 – vier dae nadat tender HK 2/2005 geadverteer is –
is Sondolo IT amptelik by die registrateur van maatskappye
geregistreer. Op 29 April 2005, toe die tender aan Sondolo IT toegeken
is, was die maatskappy skaars meer as twee maande oud en het sy karige
personeel bestaan uit werknemers van ander Bosasa-maatskappye. Eers
nadat Sondolo IT die tender gewen het, is poste geadverteer en
personeel van buite aangestel.
Beeld verneem Helmand, wat die tegnologie vir Bosasa se
spysenieringstenders van 2004 ontwerp het, was oorspronklik aan hoof
van die toegangsbeheerstelsels, maar is in Junie 2005 vervang deur mnr.
Gordon Howes.
Daar was van vroeg af probleme met die uitvoering van die kontrak.
) In Julie het Helmand, BoÂÂÂsasa se “tegno-ghoeroeâ€ÂÂ, bedank. Sy posisie
by die groep is gevul deur mnr. Retief van der Merwe, ’n
oud-polisielid, wat volgens ingeligte bronne “niks van tegnologie af
geweet het nieâ€ÂÂ. Bosasa het gister gesê hy het “absolute vertroue†in
Van der Merwe se vermoëns.
) In September is Howes ná ’n dissiplinêre verhoor ontslaan. Sy saak
teen Sondolo IT is hangende voor die Kommissie vir Versoening,
Bemiddeling en Arbitrasie (KVBA).
) In November het Complete Security Services (CSS), wat saam met Vikela
Security deur Sondolo IT as subkontrakteur vir die installering
aangestel is, as subkontrakteur “bedankâ€ÂÂ.
Volgens mnr. Craig Henderson, hoof van CSS, het die verhouding met
Sondolo IT “ná vele onsmaaklike insidente†verbrokkel, maar Bosasa sê
CSS se werk was “substandaardâ€ÂÂ.
Die installering moes teen Maart vanjaar by ál 66 tronke klaar wees, maar die projek is eers in Augustus aan Balfour oorhandig.
By die amptelike oorhandigingseremonie in Pretoria het Balfour gesê ’n
nuwe era vir veiligheid in tronke het aangebreek. “Vir ’n lang tyd het
ons gevangenisse verskeie dade rakende die verbreking van beleid,
nalatigheid en korrupsie – om ’n paar te noem – ervaar, wat onder die
neuse van ons amptenare plaasgevind het. Dié nalatenskap is na aan sy
einde.â€ÂÂ
‘Scandal rocks prison services’
16/11/2006 07:37 – (SA)
Adriaan Basson and Carien du Plessis, Beeld
Johannesburg – A company with links to Commissioner Linda Mti, the
outgoing prisons chief, wrote a large part of a multi-million rand
security tender that was subsequently awarded to them by the Department
of Correctional Services (DCS).
Sondolo IT, an "unknown player" in the IT sector which is part of the
Bosasa group of companies, was last year awarded one of the biggest
contracts in the history of this sector (R237 million) for the
installation and maintenance of modern access control systems at 66
prisons countrywide.
An investigation by Beeld revealed:
– Employees of the Bosasa group knew of the tender long before it was advertised on February 4 2005;
– Large parts of the tender's technical specifications were written on Bosasa computers in December 2004;
– Mti and Gavin Watson, CEO of Bosasa, have a long-standing
relationship since the 1980s when Mti was the commander of Mkhonto
weSizwe (MK), the ANC's armed wing, and later became chairperson of the
ANC in the Eastern Cape, and
– Patrick Gillingham, financial chief of the DCS, is regularly seen at Bosasa's office in Krugersdorp.
Denial
The DCS last night denied that any "external organisation" participated in the compilation of the tender document.
DCS spokesperson Manelisi Wolela said a technical committee drew up the
tender specifications by "improving old specifications" with the
"latest technology".
Bosasa group spokesperson Papa Leshabane, denied that his group
"consults" with clients on official tender documents or that Bosasa
received special treatment by the DCS.
About Gillingham's visits to Bosasa, Leshabane said a number of senior
DCS and government officials have visited Bosasa "from time to time".
The DCS officials did allegedly visit Bosasa to inspect the premises
and receive "training and development sessions".
According to Wolela, Gillingham last visited Bosasa in October 2004 as
part of a "delegation" who received training for the implementation of
a catering system.
According to Beeld's sources Bosasa already knew at the end of 2004
that a tender for access control systems was going to be advertised by
the DCS in the new year.
But the most damning proof of wangling on a high level between the DCS
and Bosasa, prior to the tender being advertised, is a 28-page document
in Beeld's possession containing technical specifications for the
tender.
A forensic investigation was done into this document, which showed that
the document was created on December 17 2004 on a Bosasa computer –
almost two months before the tender was officially advertised.
Mti resigned last week
Professor Basie von Solms, head of the University of Johannesburg's
academy for information technology, compared the Bosasa document with
the official tender specifications and found that almost 33% of the
technical specifications for the tender were "either taken directly
(word for word) or agreed very closely" with the Bosasa document. The
awarding of this and other multi-million rand tenders by the DCS to
Bosasa companies has been in the news since Beeld revealed Mti's link
to Bosasa six months ago.
Apart from his relationship of many years' standing with Watson, the
prisons chief is also a director of a private company – Lianorah
Investment Consultancy – which was registered for him by Tony Perry,
Bosasa's group secretary.
According to the registrar of companies' records Lianorah is in the process of being deregistered.
The special investigative unit (the Cobras) recently launched an
investigation into the awarding of the Bosasa-tenders and others
contracts by the DCS.
Mti's resignation was last week accepted by cabinet.
Mti has always denied any impropriety.
'Running a R9bn budget – with just matric'
01/12/2006 07:43 – (SA)
Adriaan Basson and Carien du Plessis, Beeld
Johannesburg – The man who has managed the R9bn budget of South
Africa's prisons for the last two years, has nothing more than a matric
qualification.
Beeld and Die Burger reported on Friday that Patrick Gillingham, who as
the financial head of the department of correctional services (DCS)
runs the finances of Africa's biggest prison department, has no
tertiary qualifications.
Gillingham's post was advertised nationwide last Sunday, and the DCS
has confirmed that Minister Ngconde Balfour has now appointed him chief
deputy commissioner: corrections.
The move has resulted in other staff changes. Tebogo Motseki, who is in
the post at present, becomes the head of central services and Jenny
Schreiner moves from the latter position to become chief deputy
commissioner: management services.
Informed sources said Balfour had "started to feel the heat", and that was why he moved Gillingham.
Links to Bosasa
A Beeld investigative team earlier named Gillingham as the DCS person
who was regularly seen on the premises of the Bosasa group of companies
in Krugersdorp.
Various companies in the Bosasa group, including Sondolo IT and Phezulu
Fencing, tendered for and won multi-million rand contracts from DCS in
the past two years.
Beeld and Die Burger revealed on Thursday that various high profile
South Africans, such as President Thabo Mbeki's political adviser,
Titus Mafolo, were shareholders of Sondolo IT.
James Selfe, the DA's spokesperson on correctional services, said on
Thursday he would have expected someone better qualified to run a
multi-million rand budget.
The DCS budget is comparable to the market value of major companies, such as the insurers Mutual and Federal, or Sanlam.
"I don't know what courses he completed in the public service that could qualify him for this job.
Qualified audits
"The department (DCS) has received five qualified audits in a row. That
says how unsuitable Gillingham is for the post," Selfe said.
The DCS refused to respond to Beeld's queries about Gillingham's qualifications.
The advertisement, which appeared in various Sunday newspapers, said it
was essential that Gillingham's successor should have a B. Comm in
accounting.
Gillingham is known to have been a confidant of Linda Mti, the former national chief jailer, who left the service on Thursday.
Beeld and Die Burger disclosed the ties between Mti and Bosasa this
year, such as the security tender of R237m for an access system at the
country's jails, which was awarded to Sonolo IT, after the Bosasa group
wrote much of the tender specifications for DCS.
Mti is being investigated by the Public Service Commission, while the
Cobra's special unit is investigating the DCS's Bosasa tender process.
Mti's acting successor will be announced by Balfour on Friday.
The DA asked again how much had to be uncovered before Balfour would
appoint a commission of inquiry into the way tenders from the Bosasa
group were treated.
"The minister must show the nation that he is serious about fighting
corruption in his department, by appointing a commission of inquiry to
investigate these underhand transactions," Selfe said.
DCS spokesperson Manelisi Wolela said Gillingam's move was part of
Balfour's efforts to take "service delivery to a higher level".
Read more of the 2006 Taco Kuiper Award winners' stories.
