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A general view of the border fence separating South Africa and Zimbabwe near the Beitbridge border post.
- The request from the Special Investigation Unit to freeze the bank accounts of two contractors designated to build a fence on the Beitbridge border has been postponed.
- The SIU has requested a restraining order to freeze the bank accounts of contractors Caledon River Properties CC, which are listed as Magwa Construction and Profteam CC.
- So far, R21.8 million has been paid out of the R40 million project budget.
Attorneys from the Special Investigation Unit and two construction companies, irregularly appointed to build a fence on the Beitbridge border, were locked in consultations for more than an hour before the start of a hearing to freeze the contractors’ bank accounts.
On Thursday, Judge Lebogang Modiba postponed the matter until October 16 after the parties agreed to change the date for filing supplemental and response affidavits.
The SIU has requested a restraining order to freeze the bank accounts of Caledon River Properties CC, which is listed as Magwa Construction and Profteam CC.
The companies are responsible for the construction of the border fence.
READ | Honesty is too much for Beitbridge border contractors
The department’s national bid award committee (NBAC) approved both bids for the project in March.
On March 18, the NBAC approved the appointment of Caledon River Properties CC, marketed as Magwa Construction, to provide contractor services at a cost of R37 million.
The following day, the appointment of Profteam CC was approved to provide professional services at a cost of R3.2 million.
The project was intended to secure the country’s border with Zimbabwe after the Covdi-19 pandemic.
It had a budget of R40 million, and so far R21.8 million have been paid to contractors.
The SIU is also after Rand 21.8 million.
Modiba said: “SIU is granted permission to supplement its founding affidavit or to submit an explanatory affidavit before Monday, October 12.”
Respondents third through fifth, if they choose, will file their response affidavits on the same date, he added, and by Oct. 14, current opposition respondents will complete their response affidavits.
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However, Modiba was concerned that there were no provisions for a response from the SIU.
“These details are very important and it is possible that this matter is not ready to be heard, we need to make sure that the necessary provisions are made for all parties,” he said.
The parties, however, agreed to finalize the matter in one day and hold more hearings next Friday.
“Allow the SIU to present a complementary response, before Thursday if it so wishes. The argument of the heads would be presented that day [as well]. On October 15, the SIU will complete its response affidavit. For the same date if all the parties require it, they must file the supplementary allegation before 4:00 pm, ”he said.
An investigation into the Beitbridge border fence project found that the government paid R17 million more than the market-related cost.
A further assessment using market related prices for materials actually used on site and revised rates for engineering services provides a total project cost of R23 388 023.97. This indicates that the project costs were exceeded by an amount of R17 047 891.01.
Investigators also found at least 115 violations.
A team from the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission also found that the barbed wire in the fence was stretched beyond its accepted capacity.
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