Ramathuba spits fire over unbudgeted tenders

Limpopo premier Phophi Ramathuba says a programme aimed at building the state’s capacity to build and maintain roads is not a tender opportunity for personal gain.

Speaking on the programme dubbed Dikgerekgere Wednesdays, at Maphata Village in Giyani on Wednesday, Ramathuba said when commitments on projects are made out of selfish interests, such as when there’s no money to implement them, “this hurts the ANC at the polls”.

“Things have changed. These people want roads and we are going to improve these roads. Every year we are going to allocate budgets towards the yellow fleet,” Ramathuba said.

“There must be budgets for the appointment of operators. When they heard we were going to have Dikgerekgere, I saw people salivating, thinking there would be another tender from Dikgerekgere Wednesdays. But we are not going to have a tender for this.”

The premier said public works will fulfil its mandate to build and maintain infrastructure. 

She highlighted travel hardships residents face to access basic services, due to the lack of public transportation, a situation compounded by poor roads.

“We will do this ourselves. We must re-empower and we must maintain them internally. Why must we always go through a tender which always makes us fight? We are fighting because of these tenders. People are just being appointed [even when there’s] no budget.

“Our treasury showed me last week that we don’t have money but we are committing [to projects]. Why are we committing? Why are we appointing people? You can’t appoint people when there is no money.”

Ramathuba said she would not be intimidated because of her gender, and that she is committed to her role as a public servant.

“Anyone who wants to work with us is welcome but anyone who wants to undermine us and bully me because I am a woman, you are lost. I don’t care how much testosterone you have, I don’t care how much of a man you are, I will fire you even if you are a man. And if I see that the cabinet needs to be reshuffled because people are not doing their jobs, then so be it. 

“When you are a service provider, you are appointed, and you don’t do the work, we are going to blacklist you. If you are told to build it, you will build it. Whether you like it or not, and if you don’t like it, leave before we embarrass you.”

Ramathuba added that accountability is paramount.

“You will have to explain to me when you advertise and appoint this person, where are you getting that money. Can we do the job and fix the roads internally when there is budget allocation? Because when you make the MEC sign the letter committing to a project saying that a particular road would be tarred, and now you don’t tar it, people come and fight with us. 

“They don’t fight you as officials, they fight us as an organisation. Then we will get fewer votes for the ANC because of those commitments that you have made for your own selfish interest. We are turning things around, and if you are committing where there is no money, I am coming after you.”