Executive Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya of Tshwane has firmly dismissed accusations that the city dragged its feet on blacklisting controversial tender tycoon Edwin Sodi over the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Plant scandal.
On Sunday, Moya countered a Sunday Times report titled “No rush to blacklist Edwin Sodi,” which she said suggested a lack of urgency in pursuing accountability.
“That characterisation is incorrect and does not reflect the facts,” Moya stated, emphasising that the city prioritised procedural integrity more than haste.
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Strengthening processes before National Treasury submission
According to Moya, the city began restricting suppliers linked to the Rooiwal Joint Venture back in 2023, with an early bid sent to the National Treasury in 2024.
That initial effort hit a snag on technicalities, prompting Tshwane to overhaul its approach.
Moya said officials focused on building airtight internal controls to prevent future rejections.
To bolster its case, “the city adopted a formal Standard Operating Procedure for supplier restriction and blacklisting; established a Supplier Review Committee with approved Terms of Reference; and embedded additional internal safeguards to ensure compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements prior to submission to National Treasury,” Moya detailed.
She added that while the timeline stretched longer than ideal, these measures ensured a submission that could withstand scrutiny.
“While this has taken longer than desired, it was necessary to ensure that the submission is robust, compliant, and capable of being upheld,” Moya stressed.
Resolving service challenges on elusive companies
Moya said critics claimed Tshwane officials were unaware of the locations of Sodi-linked company directors.
“There is an important legal distinction between being aware of an individual’s general whereabouts and effecting formal service of legal notice on corporate entities involved in a tender process in accordance with prescribed legal requirements,” she stressed.
The mayor said repeated attempts were made to deliver notices via official routes, cross-checking details on the Central Supplier Database and other systems.
She explained that complications arose as the firms had vacated their listed addresses.
Seeking clarity, Tshwane commissioned an independent legal review.
The review affirmed that all reasonable steps had been exhausted in line with the new procedures.
“I reject the conclusion it reaches that the City of Tshwane has deliberately delayed the blacklisting process or lacked urgency in pursuing consequence management,” Moya declared.
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Final stages and Treasury’s role ahead
Moya said Tshwane’s Supplier Review Committee recently wrapped up its evaluation, issuing a definitive recommendation.
The package now awaits the City Manager’s sign-off before the Chief Financial Officer forwards it to National Treasury for final adjudication.
Once submitted, oversight shifts entirely to the national body, which holds the authority on restrictions.
Moya warned against shortcuts. “Rushing a procedurally defective process that is likely to be rejected does not serve accountability, the residents of Tshwane, or the rule of law. Doing the work properly does,” she emphasised.
Commitment to accountable governance
The city’s multi-party coalition government has vowed to root out underperformance and corruption through lawful channels.
Moya reaffirmed this stance. She said the coalition “remains firmly committed to consequence management, transparent governance, and decisive action against underperforming or compromised service providers”.
“Where wrongdoing is identified, action will be taken, but it will be taken lawfully and in a manner that ensures outcomes are durable and enforceable.”
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