Transport minister Fikile Mbalula says he won’t give in to pressure from 'tenderpreneurs' and repeat the 'mistakes' which led to state capture.
Transport minister Fikile Mbalula says he won’t give in to pressure from “tenderpreneurs” and repeat the “mistakes” which led to state capture. on the cancellation of tenders worth R17.4bn, Mbalula said he was approached by entrepreneurs asking him to do “things in the dark, things which were condemned in the state capture report”.
“I will not do it because I owe them nothing. I am a free soul. I am not owned by anybody. And I am not going to repeat the mistakes we were not only warned [about] but have landed us, as the country, in trouble through the Zondo commission, which laid [down] the law very clear on what happened. We can’t go back there.
Mbalula said he had no role in the procurement processes or any interest in the identity of bidders. “My job as the minister is to hold the board accountable and account to parliament. I’ve got no business with tenders. If you’ve got a problem with a tender as a person who has tenders, go to court, do anything in your power to get your tender to be addressed properly.”