In an attempt to save the jobs of 337 employees, five security companies will turn to the Western Cape High Court on Wednesday to interdict the Western Cape Government from enlisting the services of a group of security companies in at least 36 health facilities in the province.
Sechaba Protection Services, Silver Solutions, Star Project Management, All 4 Security Services and Helios Security and Risk Management are going head-to-head against the Western Cape Government, and, amongst others, Phangela Private Security Services, Golden Security Services and mazim-Zim Security and Private Investigators.
In his founding affidavit, managing director of Sechaba Protection Services, Adiel de Bruyns, submitted that the Western Cape Government (the department) 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.
According to De Bruyns, they were “irregularly excluded from consideration for all regions in the department”, after they submitted their bids.
De Bruyns added that they would seek to review their exclusion “in due course”.
“However, at this stage, insofar as interim interdictory relief is concerned, 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.
“As a general result thereof, only three companies have been successful.
“For the reasons explained, 337 employees are now at risk of unemployment and the applicants’ respective financial well-being is also being placed in peril, which may lead to their liquidation... The previous tender made allowance for approximately 30 service providers to cover the entire Western Cape.”
Enquiries to the Western Cape Government were referred to the Department of Health and Wellness. The department did not respond by deadline on Tuesday.
Cape Times