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Vice President of the Supreme Court Raymond Zondo.
- The former Free State human settlements HOD has admitted they did not follow the correct processes when considering a proposal for the asbestos audit project.
- NthSE Mokhesi testified at the Zondo commission on Friday.
- The multi-million dollar contract was secured by a joint venture in 2014.
The former head of the human settlements department in the Free State Nthimose “Tim” Mokhesi told the State Capture Commission that his department did not follow the correct process when it approved a proposal on the asbestos audit project.
Mokhesi testified before the commission on Friday after the president, Supreme Court Vice President Raymond Zondo, dismissed his request for a stay.
Mokhesi signed the asbestos audit contract in his capacity as accountant.
The multi-million dollar contract was secured in 2014 by a joint venture between engineering consultancy Blackhead Consulting and Diamond Hill Trading 71.
He told the commission that when he received the proposal, he reviewed it and forwarded it to the supply chain manager, Mr. Matlakala.
Advocate for Test Lead Paul Pretorius SC asked if he considered whether the “unsolicited proposal” given him by Blackhead Consulting Director Edwin Sodi met the requirements.
“The instrument that was used for this proposal was not the correct one. I admit it,” he replied.
“The application of that proposal and how it was applied was a problem, it was a problem. Mr Matlakala (supply chain manager) applied the wrong prescriptions in this situation,” Mokhesi replied.
Gauteng and the Free State had mutually extended the multi-million dollar asbestos contract, yet the process was deemed flawed.
Mokhesi said he initially thought the national human settlements department had provided the asbestos audit contract to Blackhead and not to Gauteng.
He also said that when Free State entered the contract it did not ask for any documentation.
He said he trusted his supply manager, who assured him they had done their job.
“I’m not talking about interns here. I’m talking about senior managers. If you can assure me that you have done your job, that’s enough for me because the acquisition documents are voluminous. I just have to make sure that you have done your job. and that assurance was given to me. ”
READ | State Catch Investigation Hears Why Asbestos Audit Contract Would Not Have Been Extended
When the contract was extended to the Free State, Mokhesi said he did not look at it to determine the terms and conditions.
The terms and conditions related to performance and price were different than those established in the Free state.
On Mokhesi’s statement that he did not consider the terms of reference “simply because of the voluminous acquisition document,” Pretorius said: “I am not sure it would have been too difficult and bulky a task to simply establish what the unit price was at. Gauteng “.
Mokhesi also told the commission that although the Free State Auditor General declared the contract invalid, they continued to pay the service providers.
READ ALSO | Joint Venture Never Made Illegal Payments On Free State Asbestos Project – Hear State Capture Investigation
He said this was because it had already been worked on.
When asked if he investigated whether it was value for money, Mokhesi said he had instructed the project management unit to do so.
The commission is expected to continue Monday with tests from former Minister Nomvula Mokonyane’s personal assistant, Sandy Thomas.
