Works PS awards his PhD supervisor N$2m tender

Written by Patience Nyangove
Thursday, 25 February 2010

PERMANENT Secretary in the Ministry of Works and Transport, George Simataa, allegedly awarded Professor Lovemore Mbigi his supervisor in his PHD studies in Aviation at a Zimbabwean university a Ministry consultancy tender valued at over N$2 million, Informanté can reveal.



When approached by Informanté, Simataa refused to answer questions on how it would influence his passing of the PhD he was being supervised by the beneficiary of the N$2 million tender.

Informanté is also reliably informed that Simataa is studying with Zimbabwe’s National University of Science and Technology after he failed his studies with an unnamed South African university.

Simataa asked Informanté to send questions to his office, warning that he would respond at a time convenient to him as he had “better things to do”.

“I have better things to do. I don’t work for you,” he said before hanging up his phone.

According to impeccable sources within the Ministry, Simataa awarded Mbigi the tender without advertising for it to help train 1,517 Ministry of Works and Transport employees on the Performance Management System.

When Informanté contacted Mbigi on the pretence that the reporter was also a PhD student and had been referred to him by Simataa the Professor confirmed that he was supervising Simataa in his PhD studies.

“Yes I am his supervisor,” Mbigi said.

Under the contract, Mbigi is paid N$40,000 per training session and in total he nets a cool N$2,040 million tax free which is deposited in a Standard Bank Limited account number 421 448 148 under the name Nehanda Management Consultants with the proof of every payment faxed to a South African number 011 792 7909.

In addition, the Ministry pays for all of Mbigi’s expenses including N$49,440 for accommodation, N$3,243 for his return air ticket and N$18,639.27 for the daily rental for a Toyota Avensis (GRN 1296) for use for 89 days he would be in the country with the total figure adding up to N$2,111,322.

The sources within the Ministry questioned why Simataa awarded the contract to his PhD supervisor.

“Does it mean there are no competent Namibians who could have got that consultancy contract? The contract was never advertised and it’s mere corruption on the part of Simataa to award his university supervisor that contract. Now we don’t know whether Simataa gave Mbigi the contract so that he could help him pass his studies,” the source who requested to speak on condition of anonymity said.

Minister of Works Helmut Angula said he was not aware that Mbigi was Simataa’s supervisor in his PhD studies.

“I am not aware, I don’t have any details about the contract but I know they are on going training workshops on Performance Management System Training. I also don’t have information on whether the contract was ever advertised or not, I need to consult,” Angula said.

According to correspondences in possession of Informanté between Simataa and senior management in the Ministry, the Ministry was selected by Secretary to Cabinet Frans Kapofi to implement the Performance Management System.

“As a result, it is of paramount importance that staff on operational, supervisory and managerial levels be exposed to the Performance Management System. Capable consultant (Professor Lovemore Mbigi) was appointed to conduct the Performance Management System training,” a letter written 13 January 2010 signed by Simataa, Under Secretary in the Ministry, Phillip Amunyela, Deputy Director, Finance, Chris Mugandjela and Director of Administration, Christo Visagie, says.