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Haati Investments got R16 million to supply and deliver textbooks to Coastal College’s eight campuses in KwaZulu-Natal, but they haven’t arrived and concerned parties want some answers.
They are sick and tired of perceived irregularities, and the inertia around investigating them.
“There are managers at our campuses who are spending their time photocopying textbooks because they haven’t been delivered yet, and it’s already April,’’ a staff member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told City Press this week.
Staff also claimed that the tender, awarded to booksellers Haati Investments cc for this year’s textbooks, was irregular.
“We previously ordered books directly from the publishers and had no problems. Then this tender was issued, without proper process, and a third party was brought in to distribute the textbooks.
“This is nonsense,” said a staff member.
Another staff member said: “This is hurting the institution and the students here.
“We have reported this to the department and the council, but to no avail.’’
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) has weighed in on the matter.
It has called on both the college council and the department of higher education and training to intervene and probe the tender, along with a series of allegedly irregular placements.
It also wants the college’s cleaning and security tenders to be subjected to scrutiny.
Nehawu regional secretary Mduduzi Chiyi said he wrote to the college council chairperson, Professor Paulos Zulu, on April 4.
He demanded an urgent and independent investigation into the textbook tender and accused the college of failing to follow procurement regulations.
“The tender process has cost the college millions more than it used to spend in the previous process of buying textbooks direct from the publishers,’’ Chiyi wrote.
“We are expecting the college to suspend the principal, pending the investigation, as we are of the view that the process will not be authentic in the presence of the principal.”
Phakama Ndunakazi, Nehawu provincial secretary, told City Press the union had not got a response from either the Coastal College council or the department.
As a result, the union was preparing to ask the Public Protector to intervene.
Attempts to secure comment from Haati, which also trades as Redwood Stationers and Booksellers, were unsuccessful.
The number attached to their business registration belonged to its former accountant, who worked for the company for three months and left.
Firoz Patel, deputy director-general of the department of higher education and training, confirmed that he had received Nehawu’s complaint. He said a regional official had met Nehawu and was arranging another meeting with the college principal, Sibhanana Ndlovu, to discuss the matter.
“The department at head office is not aware of these developments,” he said. “However, the principal is aware that the chairperson of the council has been looking into allegations made by Nehawu regarding some issues.
“I will be calling for reports on this matter to ensure it is investigated so that the necessary action can be taken, if required,” Patel said.
Patel said the council would first deal with the issues around the tenders. It held initial responsibility for ensuring that the college’s procurement practices were in order and it would also deal with complaints, he said.
?“The council will then report to the department, if there has been any matter affecting any employee of the department, for the department to take forward.
“I have not been able to contact the chairperson of the council and will be doing so as soon as possible,’’ Patel said.
Professor Zulu did not answer his cellphone.
