The Western Cape Department of Health will challenge the interdict applications by five private security companies who are aggrieved at not being selected for the renewal of tenders at 258 hospitals.
Attorney for the applicants, Mark Hess, said the tenders were estimated to be valued in excess of R2 billion over three years with the option of being extended by two years, and had been awarded to three private security companies.
Phangela Private Security Services, Golden Security Services and Amazim-Zim Security and Private Investigators were the companies that got the nod to render services at hospitals in the province.
The provincial Department of Health and Wellness said: “(We) can confirm that following the awarding of tenders for the provision of security services at health-care facilities and health infrastructure throughout the province, unsuccessful bidders have sought to annul these awards and halt the initiation of the new contracts through several court applications.
“The department is actively contesting these applications and remains dedicated to addressing these legal hurdles with fairness and reasonableness while upholding respect for the decisions and procedures of the courts.”
On Wednesday, the urgent application for the interdict was postponed at the Western Cape High Court.
It was launched by Sechaba Protection Services, Silver Solutions, Star Project Management, All 4 Security Services, and Helios Security and Risk Management to interdict the three security companies from rendering services in at least 36 health facilities in the province. They contend that they have been “irregularly excluded from consideration for all regions in the department”, after they submitted bids for all regions.
The five companies are also fighting to save the jobs of about 337 employees.
Managing director of Sechaba Protection Services Adiel de Bruyns submitted that the Western Cape government be interdicted from giving effect to a tender awarded to the three security companies pending the outcome of a review application in which the tender was awarded to only these three companies out of 106 bids received.
The new service providers are expected to take over the sites on April 1, which gave rise to the urgent application.
After a meeting in chambers with the judge and parties, the matter was postponed yesterday to April 16.
De Bruyns said: “This application only seeks to prevent the implementation of the tender; alternatively, to interdict those sites which the applicants are currently servicing. The main issue in Part B of the notice of motion, is the irregular and unlawful exclusion of the applicants from the tender process.”
The previous tender made allowance for about 30 service providers to cover the entire province. However, there are only three companies meant to now cover all these hospitals.
Cape Times