Note to Editors: Please find English and Afrikaans soundbites by Ald Cilliers Brink here and here
The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the decision of the North Gauteng High Court to set aside the irregular tender awarded to a consortium of companies linked to ANC backer Edwin Sodi.
The litigation, along with an attempt to blacklist the Sodi consortium from doing business with government, was initiated under the DA-led coalition during 2024.
The tender for the upgrade of the Rooiwal Waste Water Treatment Plant was awarded to the Sodi consortium in 2020.
In 2022 a forensic investigation found that the consortium should have been disqualified from the even bidding.
The Sodi consortium lacked the expertise required by industry standards for a project of this nature.
Implicated in the investigation was the so-called Rooiwal Five (or as Sowetan termed them ‘Sodi’s Blessers).
Prior to the investigation the consortium abandoned site, and in 2024 the mayoral committee initiated a process to bar the Sodi consortium from doing business with the state.
After ActionSA turned on the DA-led coalition in Tshwane, to bring the ANC back to power, I kept following up on the blacklisting process with city manager Johann Mettler.
Although it is important for the city to follow due process, the judgment obtained against the Sodi consortium strengthens the city’s blacklisting application. The DA calls on Tshwane to make public the progress in completing the blacklisting process