The remediation programme was launched with some manual removal of hyacinth and debris.
Magalies Water on Wednesday launched the Hartbeespoort Rehabilitation project at the Schoemansville Oewer Club, introducing the company Hya Matla that will be responsible for the removal of hyacinth and debris from the dam.
Amidst controversy about the tender, Magalies Water said it has noted with dismay recent utterances made by several individuals with a vested interest in the Crocodile West Catchment Water Resource Management Project, which includes the
Hartbeespoort dam, over unsubstantiated allegations of tender impropriety.
“Magalies Water on 30 August 2023, after following all supply chain management processes, issued a notice wherein the intention to appoint the successful bidder was made public. On the notice, it was explicitly communicated that the public is welcome to raise objections/protests in respect of the intention to appoint the successful bidder. Prior to the issuance of the notice of intention to appoint, none of the bidders had raised concerns about the supply chain management processes whether verbally and or in writing,” Magalies Water spokesperson David Magae said.
After the public became aware of the notice of intent to award the tender to Hya Matla, concerns were raised. The company received a R25 million empowerment loan from Coca-Cola in 2019 to remove hyacinth but then left “after the dam was compromised and the effect of Covid-19,” Hya Matla said.
Magalies Water was accused of not making the notice public before the time for objection had expired.
“Magalies Water will not be drawn into allegations that the successful bidder mismanaged about R 25 million rand which was previously allocated to a project intended to keep the dam clean and well maintained. Magalies Water did not participate in the project referred to. South Africa has competent law enforcement agencies established to investigate such matters of impropriety. As such we urge anyone with information to hand it over to any competent law enforcement agency established in line with the provisions of the Constitution and any other applicable act as approved by the National Assembly to combat any form of crime, including what is regarded as commercial crime for further investigations,” Magae said.
During the launch of the programme, Magalies Water said Hya Matla received the tender for only the removal of hyacinth and debris on the dam. “They are not the sole contractor for the entire project. The removal of hyacinth and debris is only one aspect of the remediation programme.”
In a media statement shortly before the launch, Hya Matla responded to allegations of mismanagement of the R25 million Coca-Cola money.
“We note with extreme dismay and hollow the unfounded, malicious and libellous allegations made therein. These underhand, improper and derogatory allegations will be challenged. We are in the process of legal analysis of the utterances made with a view to seeking legal redress.”
Hya Matla said the Coca-Cola loan was an empowerment loan and provided in support of a very innovative, environmentally friendly and robust registered organic fertilizer and intellectual property rights. The empowerment loan was after due diligence on the business plan and not aimed at Hartbeespoort Dam as an operation. The empowerment loan does not attach pre-conditions to the water body from which to operate and therefore does not restrict Hya Matla to only operate from Hartbeespoort Dam,” Hya Matla said.
Source: https://kormorant.co.za/tender-to-clean-the-dam-awarded/
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