SUNDAY TRIBUNE
Businessman and former taxi owner Mandla Gcaba, a nephew of President Jacob Zuma, has distanced himself from claims that he used his political influence to win a R300 million Port Shepstone bus tender. Photo: Nqobile Mbonambi
KwaZulu-Natal – Transport businessman and former taxi owner Mandla Gcaba, a nephew of President Jacob Zuma, has distanced himself from claims that he used his political influence to win a R300 million Port Shepstone bus tender.
The contract was awarded without open bidding to Ugu Transport, a consortium 80 percent-owned by taxi operators and 20 percent by smaller bus operators – including Gcaba’s company, Amandla Emicabango Trading.
Gcaba owns eThekwini Bus Services, which transports students for Mangosuthu University of Technology. He also won a tender to transport staff at King Shaka International Airport.
Durban’s public transport system has been described as shambolic since Remant Alton took over in 2003, then pulled out in 2009, citing financial difficulties. Gcaba’s Transnet Africa took over the contract – which a court declared illegal and which has since been run on a monthly basis. In April eThekwini municipal manager Sbu Sithole said this contract had caused the council to incur irregular expenditure of R300m since 2010.
Several bus owners who spoke to the Tribune on condition of anonymity said they had not been given the opportunity to bid for the Port Shepstone tender.
Gcaba denied being given preferential treatment, saying: “What is one supposed to do to survive? Who is making those claims now? What have I done to these people?
“We have nothing to do with the Port Shepstone tender. A group of taxi operators won the tender, then hit a snag. We were approached to help and we came in at that time. I came in long after it had been awarded,” he said.
Asked why the Port Shepstone tender was never advertised, Ugu District Municipality spokesman Sipho Khuzwayo said the buses were a project of the Department of Transport: “Speak to them.”
Provincial Transport department spokesman Kwanele Ncalane said the department had entered into a “negotiated contract” which by law did not need to go to tender.
Sunday Tribune
Read this article:
Zuma’s nephew in R300m tender dispute