Justice gives notice to Bosasa, suspends official
Justice Minister Micheal Masutha says his department has
given a 30-day notice period to Bosasa in which to cancel its contract for
nutritional services at seven correctional facilities.
Bosasa, now known as African Global Operations, has been implicated in grand fraud and corruption at the commission of inquiry into state capture.
The nutritional services are kitchen catering services meant to supply food to inmates at prisons across the country.
Masutha told a media briefing in Pretoria on Monday that only 26 out of 226 kitchens are serviced by Bosasa.
This would be the final contract between the controversial company and the department.
“Following these developments, the department’s management developed and implemented a business continuity plan to ensure that the provision of nutritional services is not disrupted. The department has developed an alternative food services plan to accommodate the viability of insourcing nutritional services,” said Masutha.
He also announced that the various correctional services employees who were implicated at the commission will need to provide reasons why they should not be suspended.
An official in the security management department has been placed under precautionary suspension following a forensic investigation.
The probe confirmed that a R10 million Bosasa contract to provide security and surveillance systems was awarded without procurement processes being followed.
A letter had also been served to a senior official in the same department, asking her to explain why she should not be put on precautionary suspension implicated in the delay of procuring surveillance and monitoring for courts since October.
Audit and advisory firm Sizwe Ntsaluba-Gobodo will also review all security contracts awarded since 2006.
“With a specific focus on contracts awarded to Bosasa and its subsidiaries,” he said.
The firm is expected to finish the review within three months.
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