Fresh details emerge: NSSA in US$1,2 million vehicle procurement deal

  • NSSA procured 31 single cabs
  • NSSA management insists “hand-picking” of vehicle supplier was above board

FRESH details have emerged over how the National Social Security Association (NSSA) procured vehicles worth US$1.2 million from Paza Buster Car Sales (Pvt) Ltd.

Contrary to earlier reports which linked the Nssa deal to AutoWorld, reports say Paza Buster, was actually the company that was awarded the tender.

This development comes hot-on-the-heels of the forensic audit that torched a storm and saw several high profile arrests.

In our earlier article it was reported that Nssa management is alleged to have bypassed the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ)’s regulations by awarding a company that had initially lost the tender but had finished way down the pecking order with the top bids being disqualified for allegedly failing to be compliant.

Insiders allege that two companies, Amtec Motors and Croco Motors, had initially won the tender to supply the vehicles.

However, NSSA management in the procurement department reversed the process and gave it to Paza Buster.

Documents seen by Zim Morning Post show that 31 top-of-the-range vehicles were recently purchased by NSSA for its top management.

The records show that the vehicles were purchased for US$40 000 which is equivalent to ZWL2.720 million (official bank rate).

In an interview with the Zim Morning Post Nssa Marketing and Communications Executive Tendai Mutsekwa confirmed his organisation acquired a new fleet of vehicles but still maintained that the procurement was above board.

“NSSA’s current motor vehicle fleet is antiquated and very expensive to maintain. Constant breakdowns are derailing the efficient execution of the NSSA mandate,” Mutsekwa said.

“It was critical to replace the fleet urgently given the constant price hikes as a result of inflation. The NSSA board approved the budget for vehicle replacements early 2019.”

Due process was followed in purchasing the vehicles, including following all the PRAZ procedures,” Mutsekwa continued.

Mutsekwa said: “One of the bidders that initially won the tender changed its prices by over 80% when the bids were still valid, and in terms of the law NSSA proceeded to award the next compliant bidders for each lot in line with Section 55 of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Asses (PPDPA) Act (Chapter 22:23).

On being asked why the company that come second at tender was also left out Mutsekwa said: “The next compliant bidders failed to confirm their bids and NSSA proceeded by way of Section 42 of the Act.”

However, insiders dismissed Mutsekwa’s explanations saying Paza Buster was chosen because the company had agreed to cut deals with the management.