The National Gambling Board, which is under administration, plans to issue a multi billion-rand contract for the controversial national central electronic monitoring system.
However, the R2.8bn tender for the eight-year contract could be halted through court action by companies that pulled out of the bid, fearing the process would be compromised without a board in place.
The National Gambling Board has not had a board or CEO since 2014.
The board was dissolved by Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies after a forensic investigation into maladministration and wasteful expenditure, including allegations there had been corrupt activities involving the monitoring system.
Acting CEO Barry Mashigo agreed to part ways with the entity just days before his disciplinary hearing on allegations that he had shared confidential information with a bidder for the tender.
A company that requested anonymity and was part of the bidding process pulled out after raising concerns about the status of administrator Caroline Kongwa in terms of the National Gambling Act.
The act makes no provision for such an authority being the final arbiter on tenders.
The company told Business Day it was preparing to launch a court challenge to the process.
Kongwa was seconded to the entity from the Department of Trade and Industry, where she is employed as chief director of legal services.
The centralised monitoring system for the country’s more than 11,000 limited-payout machines is being run by Bidvest through Zonke Monitoring Systems, which won the tender in 2001.
The company is responsible for the management, operation and maintenance of the system.
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