How OUTA exposed R898 million “tender manipulation” by French multinational

A French multinational company has become embroiled in a third tender controversy, this time to produce “smart driving licence cards” at an inflated cost of R898,597 million - nearly double the budget. In this interview with BizNews Wayne Duvenhage, the CEO of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), describes how the findings of its investigation into the tender led to Transport Minister Barbara Creecy’s decision to refer it to the Auditor-General (AG) for further investigstion. The same company recently had its R115-million contract with Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) terminated. And there have been delays in its delivery on a Home Affairs contract. Meanwhile, more whistleblowers are coming forward with inside information on the latest tender awarded to the company. “So the more evidence we gather, the more we'll pass over to the Auditor General. Hopefully then to the police and what we're actually asking for the authorities and the Minister is don't only cancel this tender, find out who in your department is involved, have disciplinary hearings, fire them if need be and then don't stop there, have them charged for the criminal conduct that they have instituted.”