The Northern Cape Department of Education remains mum following testimony by former Bosasa COO, Angelo Agrizzi.
He revealed that the company paid a bribe of more than R1.2 million to an employee at the department in order to secure a tender for security upgrades at the department’s main building in Kimberley.
The Department of Education is the latest government department implicated in allegations of bribery and wrongdoing.
Angelo Agrizzi says Bosasa paid its way into landing a tender that was advertised by the department back in 2013.
The advert on the department’s website called for tender bids for the design, delivery and installation of access and surveillance management systems.
Among the 10 bidders announced in 2014 is Sondolo IT, a Bosasa linked company. However, the website fails to provide notice of final details explaining who got the tender.
Angelo Agrizzi says:”We employed a technician called Bheki Gina and Bheki Gina’s sister works for the Department of Education in the Northern Cape. They tried to keep me out of the loop but there was a CCTV and an access control contract that was awarded to the over R10.5 million.”
In 2015, National Health Education and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) in the Northern Cape picketed against the Department’s decision to upgrade its security systems.
Nehawu Provincial Treasurer, Regina Manhe says:”We were surprised how can the department prioritise the security whereas we don’t have tools of trade and we are sitting in a building that does not meet the health and safety requirements.”
It emerged that the security systems are dysfunctional.
“We were informed that it is not even working, sometimes the cameras would also be off and this system is also not being implemented because the turnstiles are not implemented at the gates.”
Agrizzi says he received complaints on the newly installed systems that aren’t working.
“What I did establish is that we did the installation because the client that we did the installation for ultimately complained vehemently and actually picked up the phone and phoned me.”
Former Bosasa COO says he is also aware of another contract for Education Department with a Solar Panel Installation Company named Sunworx which also partly owned by Sondolo IT.
The Department is yet to comment on the matter.
