R500 000 ‘ghost staff’ tender award under investigation

A company linked to a former employee of the Eastern Cape education department was awarded a contract – estimated to be worth about R500 000 – after she submitted a proposal which led to the company being awarded the tender.

The contract, meant to clean up “ghost staff”, was awarded to HashData, which is linked to Sacha Wilson, the former deputy director and project manager at the Eastern Cape education department’s integrated document management and human resources record restoration project.

The tender award and the suspension of the department’s chief financial officer (CFO) Jason O’Hara is now under investigation.

City Press has seen a trail of emails showing personal relations and a proposal for the same contract sent by Wilson – now a consultant at HashData – to Penny Vinjevold, who is the deputy director-general for education, planning, evaluation and monitoring in the Eastern Cape.

In one email the two allegedly discussed departmental matters and in another email they discussed the sale of a flat by Wilson to Vinjevold.

Wilson has also worked for the Western Cape education department and national department of basic education.

City Press understands that Wilson left the Eastern Cape education department shortly after a contract – to digitise employee records was signed between the department and the ELCB Consortium, which consists of ELCB Information Services, EOH Rollout Energy and black-owned Kalolisi Investments – came to an end in September.

City Press has seen an email Wilson allegedly sent to Vinjevold and HashData director of consulting, Peter Present, among others, on October 11 relating to a proposal for the tender.

This was before the tender was advertised on October 30.

Read: ‘I did nothing wrong’ – Mpumalanga education boss denies she was fired over tender irregularities

The email reads: “Good afternoon Ms Vinjevold, Thank you for the opportunity to submit a proposal to the ECDoE [Eastern Cape department of education] regarding the Persal Controller [government payroll] role and clean-up of data.

“Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact myself or Peter for clarity.”

SUSPENDED

City Press understands from sources within the department that O’Hara was suspended because he had been asking questions about the tender.

Present responded to questions sent by City Press to Wilson on Wednesday.

He said they were aware that there had been a media query regarding a contract the company has with the department.

“HashData confirms that the request for quotation RFQ 19/20-004, issued by the Eastern Cape department of education for which HashData was the successful bidder, is currently the subject of an investigation. HashData will give its full cooperation to the Eastern Cape department of education and is ensuring its policies and procedures were followed,” he said.

Present said the company was not at liberty to disclose any further information but would do so as and when the circumstances permitted.

According to the proposal Wilson allegedly sent to Vinjevold, the total for the tender was R487 025.

The document states that the compensation of employees is one of the most significant budgetary items for provincial education departments, accounting for more than 80% of the budget allocation.

“To exercise adequate controls over this significant expenditure, it is essential that proper monitoring tools be put in place to serve as an early-warning system and ensure that the department’s post establishment is accurately reflected on the payroll system, and expenditure is correctly reported against the correct objective and responsibility codes.”

CONTROL MECHANISMS

“By putting control mechanisms in place, the department will provide an accurate, well-controlled HR [human resources] environment and the Persal system that remunerates the right employees, the right amount, at the right time and at the right place,” the document reads.

City Press has seen a tender document titled, “The ECDoE requests quotations for the appointment of a service provider to clean up the ECDoE Persal and to train three selected ECDoE staff members on Persal management and control for a period of six months”.

Eastern Cape education department spokesperson Loyiso Pulumani, who indicated that he had consulted Vinjevold, confirmed that O’Hara had been placed on precautionary suspension with effect from December 2.

Pulumani said issues pertaining to O’Hara’s suspension and tender award would form part of the investigation.

“Several allegations of mismanagement are being investigated.

“The precautionary suspension is applied as a precautionary measure only and does not constitute a judgement in any way.

“The precautionary suspension is also applied to ensure the objectivity of the investigation – no one must allege any undue influence of witnesses, and no witnesses must claim to have been intimidated in any way whatsoever.”

“As part of the investigation any and all allegations made by any individual, be it the CFO [O’Hara] or not, will receive attention and will be investigated.

“It will be premature and utterly irresponsible to comment on any specific allegation at this early stage, as it may jeopardise the integrity of the investigation,” Pulumani said.

He said the investigation was already at an advanced stage, and it was anticipated to be concluded before the end of this month.

“Once the investigation report has been completed, it will be submitted to the head of department [Themba Kojana] for further instructions.”

Msindisi Fengu Journalist | City Press

+27 11 713 9001 Msindisi.Fengu@citypress.co.za Media Park, 69 Kingsway Road, Auckland Park

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