Fierce fight for tender

LOSERS: UNSUCCESSFUL BIDDERS APPROACH COURT FOR INTERDICT

- Masoka Dube

A fight for a tender has erupted between Gauteng National Nutrition Programme service providers. A group of unsuccessful bidders recently approached the high court, which ruled in their favour by interdicting the Gauteng department of education from awarding a tender to 77 service providers.

This month, the department announced the successful bidders for a tender for procurement, storage, supply and delivery of groceries for pupils in primary, secondary and special schools for three years in 10 districts.

Seven days after the announcement, the unsuccessful companies approached the court to stop the awarding of the tender.

Steve Friedland, a lawyer representing UTE, one of the unsuccessful bidders said: "The papers revealed that several noncompliant, deregistered and even nonexistent companies with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission were among those on the list of successful bidders for the multibillion-rand three-year contract."

One service provider said: "Some of the entities have been linked to corrupt officials and politicians.