R5.5 Million Gauteng Boxing Tenders Reported to Public Protector Over Alleged Irregularities

Two multimillion-rand boxing tournament contracts awarded by the Gauteng Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation have come under fire, with the Democratic Alliance (DA) escalating the matter to the Public Protector over possible tender irregularities.

According to DA shadow MEC for Sports Kingsol Chabalala, the contracts — worth a combined R5.5 million — were allegedly awarded to the same company, potentially in violation of tender requirements and without due consideration for local Gauteng-based businesses.

R5.5 Million in Boxing Contracts Under Scrutiny

In the 2023/24 financial year, the department awarded:

• R3.5 million to stage a boxing tournament in Gauteng.

• R2 million for a Nelson Mandela tribute boxing event held in Midrand in September 2024.

Both events were organised by the same company, raising red flags about the procurement process and the geographic eligibility of the recipient.

“The DA suspects a violation of tender requirements, potentially compromising the fairness and integrity of the procurement process,” Chabalala said.

“Additionally, we believe that awarding this contract to a company outside of Gauteng may have denied local businesses the opportunity they deserved,” he added.

Changing Criteria Raise Questions

An earlier 2022 call for event proposals issued by the department clearly stated that only Gauteng-based organisations could apply and that projects must be implemented within the province.

However, later versions of the same request for proposals no longer included the geographic restriction — a change that has raised further concerns about the transparency and fairness of the process.

Department Defends the Decision

In a written reply to the DA, MEC Matome Chiloane confirmed the total expenditure of R5.5 million and defended the department’s decision.

“The tournament was supported through the provincial bidding and hosting committee in response to the sixth administration’s elevated priorities, as well as CGT2030 imperatives which sought to strategically host events that attract investment,” Chiloane said.

Despite this explanation, the DA maintains that local businesses may have been unfairly excluded, and has called for an urgent investigation into the matter by the Public Protector.

If the Public Protector finds evidence of misconduct or a breach of procurement protocols, the contracts could be declared irregular — potentially leading to further disciplinary action or even legal consequences for those involved.

With millions in taxpayer money at stake and questions about fairness and transparency mounting, the outcome of this probe could have major implications for how provincial event tenders are awarded in future.

{Source: The Citizen}

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