Durban - Construction giant Aqua Transport and Plant Hire claims that the SA National Roads Agency deliberately blocked their bids for tenders worth billions, and had the road infrastructure agency gave those contracts to them, government would have saved R400 million.
Sanral, the two companies awarded the contracts and transport minister Fikile Mbalula are the respondents in the matter that will be heard in the Pietermaritzburg High Court.Ashwinkumar Bhagoo Bhikha, Aqua’s chief financial officer, said in the company’s founding affidavit, their ban was due to an alleged administrative flaw in the first contract that nullified the other two bids.
“We were threatened. Failing which, our offer would be rendered non-responsive. Sanral’s demand was substantially and procedurally flawed. If the bank letter rendered us non-responsive then we should have been rejected. Their demand ought to have been a request for clarification, but only 24 hours to respond to a clarification request is not a prerequisite,” he said.
Aqua noted Sanral’s stance, and their director, Donovan Naicker, wrote to the entity and apologised for the inconvenience. Smangele Nkambule, Sanral’s procurement manager, said her answering affidavit to Aqua’s court application was done in haste, but challenged their allegations.
Sometimes the cheaper option is not a saving option but could lead to further more losses.