Nelson Mandela Bay Plunged into Darkness Amid Allegations of Tender Fraud

Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, which should be a beacon of light, is now grappling with darkness as streets go unlit due to questionable tenders surrounding street light supply and maintenance. The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) received authorization from President Cyril Ramaphosa to delve into apparent severe mismanagement within the municipality, with a focus on recouping any money wrongly lost and inspecting misconduct by officials.

Scrutiny intensified after an internal audit from 2023 threw the spotlight on alarming practices in the supply chain system managing street light tenders. Highlighted in the report were two pivotal tenders. Tender SCM/18-207/C from 2019, aimed at the installation and upkeep of street lighting, did not meet its implementation due to insufficient municipal stock, despite awareness of the shortage.

Additionally, the municipality secured stock surpassing R180 million, dwarfing the allocated budget. A subsequent 2020 tender, SCM/20-27/S, is now under the microscope by the SIU following auditors' discovery of damaged components amidst the stock, rendering them unusable. The financial scope of the latter remains unconfirmed, yet already sprouts concern.

The situation unravels further with Tukela Zumani, a Defenders of the People (DOP) councillor, bringing to light evidence of tender-related corruption filed with SAPS earlier this year. Zumani underlines the threat the absence of functional street lighting poses, not only to safety but to economic engagement within the city. Dismissing the municipality's deflecting of issues to vandalism, he stresses the city's pervasive darkness is testament to bigger failors that demand attention.

The 2023 audit pointedly criticizes the Electricity and Energy Directorate for proceeding with procurements despite being conscious of the dire stock shortage and absence of a contract for material supply. The mishaps led to irregular and unauthorized financial outlay, topping the contract budget by about R24-million. The shadow cast extends further, as investigations stumbled upon unverifiable streetlight installations, missing installation records, and the startling revelation that officials were authorizing payments for streetlights without the means to physically inspect the alleged sites due to the lack of necessary GPS-reading devices.

The cogs of corruption and maladministration have jammed the wheels of progress, enveloping Nelson Mandela Bay in literal and figurative darkness. As the SIU gears up its inquiry, the citizens of the metro keenly await illumination on how deep the malfeasance extends and what measures will be taken to restore both light and trust in their municipality.