While tenders to organise and promote the Kimberley Diamond Cup have been advertised and cancelled multiple times since it was originally advertised in 2022, it is uncertain when the next skateboarding event will take place.
WHILE tenders to organise and promote the Kimberley Diamond Cup (KDC) have been advertised and cancelled multiple times since it was originally advertised in 2022, it is uncertain when the next skateboarding event will take place.
Bids were invited from mega-action sports events management service providers with “suitable experience and sufficient own financial resources” to steer the Kimberley Action Sports and events management project from 2023 to 2026.
The latest closing date was extended until August 8.
The project was earmarked to create 150 job opportunities a year and generate economic spin-offs for SMMEs in the Northern Cape.
The tender includes six Skateboarding for Hope events in Kimberley, De Aar, Upington, Springbok and Kuruman, with the final being held at the Kimberley Skate Plaza.
Six grand slam events are intended to be held in the Northern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Western Cape over the three-year period.
The tender also includes the management of all five skate parks in the Northern Cape.
The bid document warned against fronting and urged bidders to act in a transparent, honest and legally compliant manner.
A competitive bidder pointed out that no cancellation notices were issued when the bids were advertised and subsequently cancelled on five previous occasions, without any reason given.
The company owner stated that the National Treasury issued a cautionary advisory not to advertise the event over the festive period in 2023.
“Regulations need to be complied with – supply chain management, the Public Finance Management Act, the Municipal Finance Management Act and the National Treasury regulations – when the tenders are cancelled.”
He added that a certain bidder, who is believed to be a front runner, should be disqualified, as she was reportedly connected to an official who was dismissed for allegedly facilitating a skateboarding tender to a service provider in 2019.
“The official won an arbitration award to be reinstated as of August 1 after charges were withdrawn against him. He is technically still employed by the department. Bidders are expected to declare any relationship with any person in procurement and any potential conflict of interest.”
The former chief financial officer, Kuberin Packirisamy, and the former senior accountant, Altus Davel, were dismissed by the Department of Economic Development and Tourism in 2023 after a R90 million tender was awarded to HRA Trading for the events management and promotion of the Kimberley Skate Park.
The last KDC event was held in 2022 after the contract with HRA Trading came to an end.
Packirisamy is also facing charges of fraud and contravention of the Diamond Act, as well as the Public Finance Management Act, after diamonds weighing 1,429 carats, which were valued at R6.7 million, vanished from a safe at the Kimberley International Diamond and Jewellery Academy.
No response to media enquiries was received from the Department of Economic Development and Tourism by the time of publication.
