Listed outsourcing company Gijima will not comment on whether the African National Congress (ANC) owes it R29 million, as claimed by a weekend paper.
Yesterday, the Sunday Times reported that the ruling party had not paid for a contract it awarded to Gijima to install IT systems and computers to link ANC parliamentary members with Parliament. It pictured chairman Robert Gumede with a caption that read: “Pay me now! Gumede wants R29m from ANC.”
Thoko Mnyango, managing executive for marketing, communication and transformation, this morning would not comment on whether the claims that R29 million for the contract, awarded in 2007, were correct.
In a statement, she says: “Gijima as a matter of policy does not discuss in the media issues relating to client contracts.”
Job done
Meanwhile, Gijima has hit back at the report, which claims work was stopped halfway due to non-payment by the ANC. Mnyango says the solution was fully implemented and that Gumede never insisted the company be paid.
“The system is up and running, and the ANC caucus has never questioned us about the so-called 'value for money' as stipulated in the article. Gijima has been accommodative at all times in the process of this contract and has, contrary to uninformed belief, continued to provide the service,” Mnyango adds.
ANC spokesperson Brian Sokutu says the issues raised by the newspaper are being “taken up at the highest level” within the ANC. He will also not confirm whether the money is outstanding, as claimed by the Sunday Times.
Sokutu says the “ANC enjoys a good relationship with Gijima” as the company has a track record of delivering on every mandate it has been given, going back several years.
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