Johannesburg - Emerging entrepreneurs have slammed Bidvest for its Covid-19 protective gear donation to the Gauteng government, saying it denied them the opportunity to grow their businesses and create much needed jobs.
A letter emerged this week showing that Bidvest had offered to disinfect schools and give sanitisers free despite the government’s earlier announcement that it would give schools a budget to pay unemployed locals and entrepreneurs to render the same services. Bidvest chief executive designate, Mpumi Madisa said the initiative was a donation to schools to assist the Gauteng Education Department ahead of grades 7 and 12 pupils returning to classrooms. “Bidvest is simply responding to the call made by President Cyril Ramaphosa to offer help in a time of need. Over 2 000 schools are rapidly preparing to re-open to welcome back grade 7 and 12 learners from June 1. However, of these, at least 577 schools have been identified as vulnerable.
“The department said there was money set aside for SMMEs to do the work. We are interested in knowing who are those SMMEs and where do they belong. We have to always remain vigilant and alive to the fact that there have been instances where abuse of procurement processes have occurred under the guise of emergency procurement during the Covid-19 period.
Lesufi says he wasn’t part of the company’s negotiations with his department and he also became aware of the deal when it went viral on social media. “I also got to know about the deal on Thursday morning when it went viral on social media and I summoned all my officials involved for a full briefing. I was assured there is nothing sinister about the whole deal.
Let them donate like Bidvest
What do they want in return
SMME's are being oppressed by big businesses.
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