Much of the public consternation is caused by the double whammy of direct appointment of NTT Nissan Gaborone for the contract and the king’s ransom of P207,056.89 to repair an ambulance in a time of acute economic austerity for the nation
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
Kweneng District Council has defended awarding a controversial P207,056.89 direct procurement contract to NTT Nissan Gaborone for the repair of an ambulance.
Amid mounting public criticism and allegations of impropriety, the Chairman of the council, Ontefetse Rankhibidu, defended the decision in an interview with The Botswana Gazette, saying the council had no alternative because NTT Nissan is the sole supplier of parts for the specific make of the ambulance.
Only four ambulances running
He urged critics to research market rates for new ambulances and spare parts before drawing conclusions. Rankhibidu argued that purchasing a new ambulance would have cost around P1 million which, as he put it, is well beyond the council’s budget.
“The council had only P500,000 set aside to repair eight broken ambulances,” Rankhibidu said. “There was no way we could afford a new one within that budget. Repairing the existing ambulance was therefore the most financially sensible option.”
Service Delivery Under Threat
Following the transfer of clinics from the Ministry of Health to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Rankhibidu disclosed that only four of 11 ambulances serving the district’s 29 clinics were operational.
P500K to repair 8 ambulances
Concerned about service delivery, the council committee decided to allocate P500,000 for repairing eight ambulances.
According to Rankhibidu, the cost of repairing the ambulances varied significantly. While some repairs cost as little as P35,000 the most expensive handled by NTT Nissan amounted to over P207,000.
He sought to allay concerns about the direct appointment of NTT Nissan, stressing that the company was selected based on its “exclusive ability” to supply the required parts.
Public outcry
“People need to understand that this was about restoring essential services, not about favouritism or cutting corners,” he said.
The tender has sparked a public outcry, with critics questioning how repairing should cost over P200,000, especially in the midst of the country’s financial constraints.