SMEs wants RA to discontinue awarding cleaning tender in ||Kharas

Some small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from the ||Kharas Region on Wednesday staged a peaceful demonstration demanding that Roads Authority (RA) discontinue the tender awarding process for its cleaning of rest places and road reserves in the region.

In their petition read by Gert Titus here, the group said the tender was an entry-level procurement which does not require technical abilities, questioning why companies from other regions should be selected while companies from the region also partake in the bidding process.

“We raise our concerns to ignite reaction from RA to demand fairness and inclusivity in this particular project, it seems ethical at face value, but there are irregularities within the selection and we are not happy and will not remain silent. It is evident that RA excludes small businesses from this region, opportunities of developing our region, these companies from other regions transfer proceeds to their regions and develop there on our cost,” reads the petition.

It added: “How transparent was the selection process which did not find any company from this vast region not being competent enough to comply with the requirements, we pay rates and taxes in this region for developmental purposes of our region and through such opportunities we’re bound to do more but we are not considered for selection as always.”

In an interview with Nampa, Ludger Vries, owner of Slangkopf Trading said he decided to establish the company about five years ago to provide for his family due to lack of job opportunities.

“We have the experience in cleaning, construction and security and I don’t know why I didn’t get the tender, I am the son of the soil, why must I be left out. What type of experience does a person need to clean. On average I employ 10 people who I empower and they are able to provide for their families and now it’s difficult even for me to support my children,” he stressed.

A document seen by Nampa shows that five companies were selected for possible awarding of the N.dollars 5.4 million tender of which none are from ||Kharas Region.

Receiving the petition, RA regional engineer Johan Blaauw promised the group that the petition will be forwarded to relevant authorities.

“Unfortunately I don’t deal with procurement, however your petition will be given to the right people,” he said.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency