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# South Africa: North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria
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## Urban Icon (Pty) Ltd v South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd and Others (28814/2020)
[2023] ZAGPPHC 1988 (11 December 2023)
Urban Icon (Pty) Ltd v South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd and Others (28814/2020)
[2023] ZAGPPHC 1988 (11 December 2023)
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sino date 11 December 2023
IN THE HIGH COURT OF
SOUTH AFRICA
GAUTENG DIVISION,
PRETORIA
CASE
NO:
28814/2020
In
the matter between:
URBAN
ICON (PTY) LTD
Applicant
And
SOUTH
AFRICAN NATIONAL ROADS AGENCY SOC LTD
First
Respondent
NYELETI
CONSULTING (PTY) LTD
Second
Respondent
ILIFA
AFRICA ENGINEERS
Third
Respondent
BVI
CONSULTING ENGINEERS WESTERN CAPE (PTY) LTD
Fourth
Respondent
THE
MINISTER OF FINANCE
Sixth
Respondent
THE
MINISTER OF TRANSPORT
Seventh
Respondent
JUDGMENT
TOLMAY
J
1.
The applicant
(Urban Icon) approached the court on an urgent basis in July 2020 and
sought in Part A of the application interdictory
relief against the
first four respondents pending the determination of Part B of the
application. The first respondent (SANRAL)
and the third respondent
(ILIFA) opposed the application. None of the other respondents
entered an appearance to defend. Part A
was not proceeded with, and
no relief is sought pertaining to Part A. This court is accordingly,
but for the costs of Part A, only
to determine Part B.
2.
In
Part B, Urban Icon seeks to review and set aside five decisions by
SANRAL. Four of the decisions relate to the award of contracts
to the
second, third and fourth respondents. The fifth decision Urban Icon
seeks to set aside relates to a decision by SANRAL not
to award any
further contracts for a period of one year to it for purposes of
establishing whether it, as a recently established
entity, could
deliver on the tenders awarded to it. Urban Icon also seeks a
declaration of invalidity in respect of the contracts
entered into
between SANRAL and each of the respondents, consequent on the
decision to award the tenders. ILIFA contends that if
the court were
to find that there are valid grounds of review, the court is enjoined
to formulate a just and equitable remedy
in terms of Section
172(1) of the Constitution
[1]
and section 8(1) of the Promotion of Administrative Justice
[2]
(PAJA).
3.
During the
period from March to July 2017, SANRAL advertised several tenders for
consulting engineering services for the improvement
of roads, namely
bid no. R524-010-2019/3F; R524-010-2019/4F; R501-030-2019/1F;
R511-020-2018/1F; R511-020-2018/2F; R565-010-2019/2F
and
R040-050-2020/1F. Urban Icon was registered as a company during March
2017, at virtually the same time as the first tender
was advertised.
It submitted bids and was the highest scoring bidder in respect of
all seven tenders. It appeared to SANRAL that
there was a significant
risk associated with awarding all the tenders to Urban Icon, despite
the fact that it was the highest scorer
in all the tenders. During
2019, Urban Icon was awarded tenders no. R524-010-2019/3F,
R524-010-2019/4F and R501-030-2019/1F.
4.
According to
SANRAL these tenders related to the design and construction
monitoring of roads which were less complex and posed less
of a risk
to SANRAL. The remaining tenders (the impugned tenders), which
related to the construction monitoring of roads with a
higher traffic
volume, which were riskier and more complex, were awarded to the
second highest scoring bidders which were the second,
third and
fourth respondents (the successful bidders), who were not new
entrants and according to SANRAL had proven track records
in
providing engineering design and construction. Urban Icon is of the
view that all the tenders should have been awarded to it
as it was
the highest scoring bidder.
5.
Bidders were
first assessed on “responsiveness” which included testing
if the bidder met the eligibility requirements
as stated in the
tender documents. All bidders who met the eligibility requirements
were then evaluated on functionality. Urban
Icon met the minimum
functionality points and qualified for further evaluation in terms of
the price and preference points system.
Urban Icon scored the highest
points in terms of the price and preference point system in respect
of the impugned tenders. On an
individual basis, Urban Icon appeared
to be the correct candidate for each of the projects.
6.
Initially, on
8 November 2017, it was recommended that tender bids no.
R511-020-2018/1F and R511-020-2018/2F be awarded to Urban
Icon. Mr.
Moloto, a project manager at SANRAL conducted an assessment of Urban
Icon’s financial ability, as well as its capacity
to perform
its obligations in respect of the two tenders awarded to it. Based on
the information available, Mr. Moloto took the
view that Urban Icon
did not pose a serious financial risk. Consequently, during May 2018,
the recommendation of 8 November 2017
was approved by the Management
Bid Adjudication Committee (MBAC) on 16 February 2018 and by SANRAL’s
Contracts Committee,
on 6 March 2018. The approval by the Contracts
Committee stated that Urban Icon’s appointment was subject to
it being called
in to indicate, officially, if it had the requisite
capacity to deliver and/ or perform in terms of the tenders. SANRAL
stated
that there was a concern as some of the projects were to run
concurrently and Urban Icon was a new entrant and did not have a
proven
track record. The projects collectively amounted to close to
R700 000 000.00 (seven hundred million rand).
7.
A meeting was
held on 7 September 2018 between Urban Icon and officials of SANRAL
where the resources of Urban Icon was discussed,
especially the
technical staff required for the design and construction monitoring
for the two projects. It transpired from this
meeting that Urban Icon
was 100% black female owned, but the specialist/ key personnel
involved in the delivery of the projects
that were put forward in
Urban Icon’s tender submissions in relation to the impugned
tenders were individuals who were not
shareholders, nor in the employ
of Urban Icon. The other concerning aspect that arose, was that Urban
Icon had no proven track
record and the cumulative amount for the
three projects that it had previously performed was far less than the
value of even one
of the tenders that it bid for.
8.
On 18
September 2018, MBAC resolved that a letter detailing further
information from Urban Icon was required and a Mr. Essa, who
was a
consultant to SANRAL, was mandated to obtain the relevant information
from Urban Icon and conduct a risk assessment/ due
diligence in
respect of Urban Icon’s capacity. Urban Icon questioned Mr.
Essa’s authority to conduct a risk assessment/
due diligence.
SANRAL however pointed out that Mr. Essa was properly appointed in
accordance with its procedure dealing with the
appointment of
consultants and his knowledge of the industry and the processes in
SANRAL placed him in a position to undertake
the investigation as
required by MBAC.
9.
On
the instructions of MBAC, correspondence was exchanged between Mr.
Essa and Urban Icon between the period 27 September and 30
October
2018. In this correspondence, Mr. Essa attempted to obtain the
necessary confirmation that Urban Icon did have the capacity
to carry
out the tenders. Urban Icon was dissatisfied with the manner in which
SANRAL proceeded to determine its capacity. Urban
Icon was of the
view that the demands by SANRAL for Urban Icon to provide evidence of
its ability to perform the works fell outside
of SANRAL's rights when
assessing the tenders, and appeared to be motivated by suspicion
because it was 100% black female owned.
SANRAL however argued that
the request was bona fide and in compliance with section 2(1)(f) of
the Preferential Procurement Policy
Framework Act
[3]
(PPPFA), as well as the Standard Conditions of Tenders.
10.
On 27
September 2018, Mr. Essa, on instructions of MBAC requested certain
documentation relevant to Urban Icon’s ability to
execute on
the tenders. On 18 October, Urban Icon responded and only provided
some of the information and complained that some
of the information
requested was not required in the tender documents. On 19 October,
Mr. Essa responded and explained the reasoning
behind the request for
further information. On 30 October 2018, Urban Icon responded and the
response showed that the cumulative
amount of the three projects
completed by Urban Icon was far less than the value of a single
tender it bid for. It also indicated
that Urban Icon was a
sub-contractor in respect of two of the three projects, furthermore,
one of its references was a company
related to it. The engagement
with Urban Icon also revealed that it had a high reliance on external
experts, who had their own
companies and were also involved in other
SANRAL projects. According to SANRAL this raised concerns about their
capacity. Urban
Icon indicated in addition that it required a
two-month leeway between the implementation of the projects which
were packaged into
two packages and further subdivided into
sub-packages.
11.
The
correspondence from SANRAL emphasized the fact that Urban Icon was in
the running for several tenders and that fact informed
the decision
to establish Urban Icon’s experience, capability, capacity and
sustainability based on the engagements with
Urban Icon. Mr. Essa
concluded that awarding all the tenders to Urban Icon would pose an
unacceptable commercial risk as Urban
Icon had only completed minor
contracts, its proven track record did not warrant awarding
simultaneous large tenders to it
and the high reliance on
external experts presented a high risk. A withdrawal of these
external experts would render Urban Icon
without sufficient capacity
to execute in respect of multiple projects. The decision
was also made to monitor Urban
Icon and not to award any further
tenders to it for a period of twelve months, this period has since
lapsed.
12.
Mr. Essa
recommended that SANRAL provide a reasonable workload to Urban Icon
and advised that once it has settled and stabilized
its employees,
structures and systems, it would be able to bid on future tenders. On
this basis, Mr. Essa initially recommended
that tenders no.
R511-020-2018/1F and R511-020-2018/2F be awarded to Urban Icon. On 12
December 2018 MBAC convened a meeting to
which Mr. Essa was invited.
After this meeting it was decided that tender no. R524-010-2019/3F
could also be awarded to Urban Icon.
The Contracts Committee was of
the view that there was a reasonable risk that Urban Icon would not
be able to deliver on all seven
contracts and on 5 April 2019 the
Contracts Committee revoked its decision to award the rest of the
tenders to Urban Icon and they
were awarded to the second highest
bidders.
13.
After finding
out that the impugned tenders were not awarded to it, Urban Icon on 3
April 2020 addressed correspondence to SANRAL
in which it, inter
alia, requested reasons for the awards and an undertaking that SANRAL
would not conclude and implement contracts
with the successful
bidders. These reasons were provided on 4 June 2020. Urban Icon was
not satisfied with the reasons and launched
this application.
14.
Urban Icon
raised various grounds of review, which were that:
14.1
It was of the
view that the assessment over and above the functionality assessment
was irregular as it submitted the highest scoring
bid it should have
been awarded all the tenders.
14.2
The successful
tenderers were improperly allowed to vary their bids.
14.3
SANRAL
unreasonably and improperly found that Urban Icon posed an
unacceptable commercial risk.
14.4
Mr. Essa’s
involvement was unlawful.
14.5
SANRAL
unlawfully relied on paragraph 5(13) (b) of the Conditions of Tender,
acted ultra vires as it had no authority to impose
the monitoring
decision and Urban Icon did not have a fair hearing on the proposed
ban.
15.
The following
issues arise for determination:
15.1
Whether the
Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act 5 of 2000 (PPPFA)
permits a due diligence and risk evaluation on a holistic
basis, and
in the context of many tenders submitted by the tenderer for a number
of projects to be simultaneously delivered after
functionality and
price scoring, or whether such assessment must be limited to the
functionality and the 90/10 scoring.
15.2
If SANRAL
could perform such an assessment in principle, whether the invitation
to tender disclosed that it would do so and, if
not, whether that
rendered the award procedurally unfair.
15.3
Whether there
were objective criteria as envisaged in section 2(1) (f) of the PPPFA
which justified the award of the tender to the
successful tenderers.
15.4
Whether the
requirements in paragraph 5.13 of the Standard Conditions of Tender
that a tenderer may not constitute an unacceptable
commercial risk
constitutes an objective criterion as contemplated in section 2(1)
(f).
15.5
To the extent
that there was non-compliance by SANRAL, whether this was material
given the purpose and spirit of the relevant provisions.
15.6
If the court
should find that the impugned tenders were inconsistent with the
Constitution and invalid, what, if any, remedial relief
ought to be
awarded, in particular whether the awards of the impugned tenders
should be set aside; and whether it is permissible
and just and
equitable for the court to award what remains of the contracts to
Urban Icon, or to refer it back to SANRAL for re-determination.
16.
Before
dealing with the grounds of review and legislation, another issue
needs addressing first. It was argued on behalf of SANRAL
that it was
obliged to comply with the Construction Industry Development Board
Act
[4]
(CIDB Act) and CIDB
Regulations, a view that was not shared by Urban Icon. It was pointed
out by Urban Icon that compliance with
the CIDB Act and CIDB
Regulations were never raised by SANRAL as a reason for its impugned
decision, nor did the record show that
it informed SANRAL’s
decision. The tender documents did not require the bidders to be
registered contractors and the second
to fourth respondents were also
not registered contractors. As this issue was not raised by SANRAL as
a reason for its decision
to award the tenders in the manner that it
did, it will not be appropriate to rely on it at this belated stage.
17.
It was argued
on behalf of SANRAL that the monitoring decision did not constitute
an administrative action as it did not have any
direct external legal
effect, and even if it was, it was inconsequential because SANRAL
would in any event not have awarded Urban
Icon tenders in addition to
the tenders awarded to it, because of the unacceptable commercial
risk explained above. It is clear
from the record and papers filed
that the monitoring decision was a result of the due diligence which
resulted in the finding of
an unacceptable commercial risk and was
not the reason for not awarding the tender to Urban Icon. The
monitoring decision did not
constitute an administrative action which
is subject to review as it did not have any external legal effect
when evaluated on its
own and as the period has expired it is no
longer a life issue that requires determination.
18.
Urban Icon is
of the view that there was an untoward reason for not awarding all
seven tenders to it and questioned whether Mr.
Essa was entitled to
do the due diligence and concluded that his involvement was unlawful.
Mr. Essa was appointed by MBAC as a
consultant according to SANRAL’s
procedures and no objective evidence was provided to prove that his
appointment was either
irregular or unlawful. He did the due
diligence in accordance with a lawful instruction from SANRAL. He was
at pains to explain
his reasoning and concerns in the correspondence
and Urban Icon was given ample opportunity to address these concerns.
There is
no legitimate basis for the suspicion that he was suspicious
of Urban Icon’s ability because it is 100% black female owned.
19.
It
is common cause that the procurement process and the tenders were
subject to inter alia sections 33 and 217 of the Constitution,
PAJA,
the PPPFA and the PPPFA Regulations. A procurement system that is
“fair, transparent and cost-effective” should
be followed
in terms of section 217 of the Constitution. SANRAL argued and
correctly so, that the ability of a tenderer to deliver
bears
directly on whether the tender would be cost-effective, to merely
tick the boxes regarding price and preference is not sufficient
if
the entity is unable to do the job
[5]
.
20.
The
PPPFA is the legislation that gives effect to the system envisaged in
the Constitution. The PPPFA generally requires that tenders
be
awarded to the bidder who scores the most points according to a
weighted system, subject to certain exceptions. The first exception
relates to functionality and is not relevant to this matter. The
second is the exception set out in section 2(1)(f) of the PPPFA
which
stipulates that “the contract must be awarded to the tenderer
who scores the highest points, unless objective criteria
in addition
to those contemplated in paragraph (d) and (e) justify the award to
another tenderer”. The first step is to determine
which
tenderer scored the highest points and the next step would be to
determine whether objective criteria in addition to those
contemplated in paragraphs (d) and (e) exist which may justify the
award to another tenderer
[6]
.
21.
It was argued
on behalf of Urban Icon that having passed the functionality
evaluation and being the highest scoring bidder, SANRAL
was obliged
to award all seven tenders to it and was not entitled to investigate
its actual capacity as the exact nature of such
scrutiny was not set
out in the tender documents. SANRAL said that this argument is not
sustainable. I agree with SANRAL’s
argument that if a bidder
passed the functionality assessment it does not mean that the
objective criteria assessment has also
been passed. I agree that even
though the two assessments consider the same general topics the
assessments are different. The second
assessment is indeed, by its
very nature, more extensive than the functionality assessment. In
this instance, Urban Icon was given
advance notice of the reason for
due diligence and was given an opportunity to prepare for, and
address the concerns raised.
22.
At the
time that the tenders concerned was advertised, the 2017 Preferential
Procurement Regulations were in force. Regulation 11
thereof provides
that the contract may be awarded to a tenderer that did not score the
highest points only in accordance with section
2(1) (f) of the PPPFA
and that if an organ of state intends to apply objective criteria in
terms of the section, the organ of state
must stipulate the objective
criteria in the tender documents. These objective criteria were
stipulated in paragraphs 5.11.4 and
5.13 of the Conditions of Tender.
Paragraph 5.11.4 (d) provides that the tenderer with the highest
number of points will be recommended
unless there are compelling
reasons not to do so. Paragraph 5.13 of the Standard Conditions of
Tender that deals with the acceptance
of a tender offer reads in
relevant part as follows: “
Accept
a tender offer should it be considered not to present any
unacceptable commercial risk, only if the tenderer
a)
………….;
b)
can, as necessary and in relation to the proposed contract,
demonstrate the possession of the professional and technical
qualifications,
professional and technical competence, financial
resources, equipment and other physical facilities, managerial
capability, reliability,
experience and reputation, expertise and
personnel, to perform the contract,
c)…………;
d)…………;
e)
………..;
f)
………..”
The
tender documents made provision for a due diligence to be performed
and there was nothing untoward in SANRAL’s decision
to do so.
The reliance on 15(3) (b) of the Conditions of Tender cannot by any
stretch of the imagination be unlawful. To the contrary
it would have
been irresponsible not to do so under the prevailing circumstances of
this case. Urban Icon was given ample opportunity
to address the
concerns raised and the allegation that it was not given a fair
hearing is without merit.
23.
It
was argued on behalf of SANRAL that as the PPPFA does not define
objective criteria, the phrase must be understood in its plain
meaning and the meaning that has been given to it by the courts. In
Lohan
Civil-Tebogo Joint Venture en Andere v Mangaung Plaaslike
Munisipaliteit en Andere
[7]
the applicant’s bid scored the highest points under the
preference-points assessment, but the tender documents provided
that
the tenderer’s past performance in engineering works of
comparable magnitude and the degree to which it possessed the
necessary technical, financial and other resources to enable it to
complete the work within the contract period would be taken
into
account. The court held that these criteria were objective criteria
within the meaning of the PPPFA.
24.
In
Simunye
Developers CC v Lovedale Public FET College
[8]
it was held that objective criteria “would invariably relate to
work in accordance with the tender specifications”.
It was also
said that these criteria would often relate to the track record of a
tenderer in other related projects and the duty
of a state organ to
ensure that an appointment of a tenderer should result in value for
money. It goes further to say that to award
a tender in the face of
objective criteria which puts serious doubts on the tenderer’s
ability to complete the work satisfactorily
and in accordance with
the tender specifications may constitute wasteful expenditure. I am
in agreement with the reasoning, as
state organs have a duty to
ensure that money from the fiscus is spent in a manner that will
advance the common good and to do
so, a tenderer must have the
ability and resources to complete the work required by the tender.
The ability to complete the work
by a relative new entrant into the
arena, especially where several tenders of a complex nature and huge
financial exposure are
involved, must constitute objective criteria
as envisaged in the applicable legislation.
25.
The
PPPFA Regulations define “functionality” as “the
ability of a tenderer to provide goods or services in accordance
with
specifications as set out in the tender documents”. In terms of
regulation 5(5) a tender that fails to obtain the minimum
qualifying
score for functionality as indicated in the tender documents would
not be regarded as an acceptable tender. Regulation
5(7) provides
that each bid that obtained the minimum qualification score for
functionality must be evaluated further in terms
of price and the
preference point system and any objective criteria envisaged in
Regulation 11. The objective criteria referred
to in Regulation 11
are the objective criteria contemplated in section 2(1)(f) of the
PPPFA.
[9]
SANRAL argued that it
is clear from the language and scheme of the PPPFA and the applicable
regulations that functionality is simply
a threshold assessment to
determine if a bidder has the minimum attributes necessary to provide
the services as specified in the
tender documents. It was argued
correctly that an assessment into functionality and an objective
criteria assessment may consider
similar general topics, but the
assessments are not the same for three reasons:
25.1
The
functionality assessment occurs before the preference points
assessment and the objective criteria assessment occurs after the
preference points assessment.
25.2
The
functionality assessment is ordinarily a binary assessment of all
timeously submitted bids. The due diligence assessment is
an
assessment of the highest scoring bid vis-a-vis one or more other
acceptable bids.
25.3
The purpose of
the functionality assessment is to determine whether bids are
acceptable or not. The purpose of the due diligence
assessment is to
determine whether the tender should be awarded to a bidder other than
the highest scoring bidder.
26.
Urban Icon’s
argument on the other hand is that once it passed the binary
functionality assessment SANRAL was obliged to assess
it in terms of
the 90/10 principle. Thereafter it was not permissible to take into
consideration any other factor, including the
fact that the tenderer
was to be appointed to deliver all seven projects. Urban Icon’s
argument basically is that if such
considerations were relevant, they
ought to have been included in the tender documents. However, this
proposition loses sight of
the fact, as was correctly argued by
SANRAL, that the ability to deliver on a number of tenders
cumulatively would not be included
in the subject matter of each
individual tender. I agree that the consideration of the capacity and
ability of a tenderer to deliver
on more than one tender is a
relevant and rational consideration. The holistic approach argued for
by SANRAL is both rational and
in accordance with the applicable
legislation. To ignore the background and facts would be particularly
shortsighted and could
have devastating consequences for SANRAL and
also for the country. A contextual approach is therefore called for,
taking into account
the ability of a tenderer to perform in seven
tenders, simultaneously is both lawful and rational, even if the
individual tenders
did not make provision for such an eventuality.
27.
In
Khosa
v Minister of Social Development
[10]
the court stated that the test for rationality is a relatively low
one, as long as the purpose of government is legitimate and
“the
connection between the law and the government purpose is rational and
not arbitrary…”. It can hardly be
argued that for a
state entity to take into consideration the ability of a tenderer to
deliver on several tenders simultaneously
is irrational or untoward.
[RT1]
Despite
the fact that
Waco
Africa (Pty) Ltd v Eskom SOC Limited and others
[11]
is not on all fours with the present matter, I agree with SANRAL’s
argument that the principle enunciated in the reasoning
of the court
that, in principle it is rational for a state owned entity to
consider as part of its assessment the ability of a
single contractor
to deliver a single project with a multitude of elements, as was the
case in that matter, could equally be applied
in circumstances where
the ability of one contractor to deliver on several tenders
simultaneously is taken into consideration.
SANRAL argued that the
various features of the bids viewed collectively were noteworthy and
informed the key focus of the due diligence
that followed. This much
is clear when one considers all the facts. SANRAL did not arbitrarily
exclude Urban Icon from the tenders,
but awarded three tenders to it
and made it clear that once the ability to perform was established it
would be considered for further
tenders. The approach was both
sensible and considered and the perceived bias that Urban Icon
expressed is not borne out by the
objective facts.
28.
To
consider whether a tenderer constitutes an unacceptable commercial
risk, SANRAL could and should indeed have inquired whether
Urban Icon
could, in relation to the tenders demonstrate the possession of the
professional and technical qualifications, professional
and technical
competence, financial resources, equipment and other physical
facilities, managerial capability, reliability, experience
and
reputation expertise and personnel to perform the different
contracts. As was correctly argued by counsel for ILIFA, once it
is
established that there were objective criteria that justified the
award of the tender concerned to someone other than the tender
that
scored the highest points, the only relevant question is whether
SANRAL's decision was based on objective criteria which were
reasonable and justifiable.
[12]
29.
Regarding the
allegation that the successful tendered were permitted to vary their
bids, no factual basis was provided. SANRAL only
after awarding the
tenders to the second highest bidders, negotiated a downwards
adjustment.
30.
An evaluation
of the prevailing facts and circumstances of this case for the
reasons set out above do not support any of the grounds
of review
raised, as a result the application must be dismissed.
31.
One
further point raised by counsel for ILIFA needs mentioning and even
if the conclusions referred to above are found to be incorrect,
the
application must fail for this reason alone. The tenders concerned
relate to the supply of consulting engineering services
and to
practice in the engineering profession a person is obliged to
register in terms of section 19 of the Engineering Professions
Act
[13]
, in one of the
categories recognized in section 18(1) of that Act. Section 18(2)
provides that no person may practice in any of
the categories as
contemplated in section 18(1) being a professional or candidate
engineer, a professional or candidate engineering
technologist, a
professional or candidate engineer, or a professional or candidate
engineering technician unless registered in
the category. Neither
Urban Icon or any of its directors are registered in any of the
categories mentioned in section 18(1).
32.
The Tender
Conditions provide in clause 4.1 that certain criteria for
eligibility may be set in the Tender Data to which a prospective
tenderer must comply, and that a failure to satisfy eligibility
criteria is a breach of the conditions of tender, and as such will
result in instant disqualification of the tenderer. SANRAL set in
clause 4.1.1 of the Tender Data the requirement that the tenderer
must be registered as a Consulting Engineering Firm. Urban Icon did
not present any evidence whatsoever that it was registered
as a
Consulting Engineering Firm at the time that it submitted its bid
documents in regard to the tenders concerned, or at any
other
relevant time. Consequently, Urban Icon was also disqualified from
being considered for the award of the tenders and for
this reason
too, the review must fail.
33.
The costs
should follow the result, and as Urban Icon for all practical
purposes abandoned Part A, it should also pay the costs
of Part A.
The
following order is made:
1.
The application is dismissed.
2.
The applicant to pay the costs of the first and third respondents,
pertaining to Part A and B of the application, which costs
will
include the costs of two counsel and senior counsel where applicable.
R G
TOLMAY
JUDGE
OF THE HIGH COURT
GAUTENG
DIVISION, PRETORIA
Appearances:
For
Applicant:
Adv
MI Maunatlala
Adv
P Buckland
Instructed
by Malose Matsaung Attorneys
For
First Respondent:
Adv
A Milovanovic-Bitter
Adv
PJ Daniel
Instructed
by ENS Africa
For
Third Respondent:
Adv
SD Wagener SC
Instructed
by Weavind & Weavind
Date
of hearing:
25
July 2023
Date
of delivery:
11
December 2023
[1]
Act
108 of 1996.
[2]
Act
3 of 2000.
[3]
5
of 2000.
[4]
38
of 2000.
[5]
Wattpower
Solutions CC and another v Transnet SOC Limited (2022) 1 ALL SA 892
(KZD).
[6]
Grinaker
LTA v Tender Board (Mpumalanga) and Others (2002) 3 ALL SA 336 (T).
[7]
(508/2009)
[2009] ZAFSHC 46
(6 APRIL 2009).
[8]
2010
JDR 1568 (ECG) at para 34.
[9]
Ibid,
regulation 11.
[10]
[2004] ZACC 11
;
2004
(6) SA 505
(CC) at para 67.
[11]
2022
JDR2589 (GJ).
[12]
WJ
Building and Civil Engineering Contractors CC V Umhlatuze
Municipality and Another
2013 (5) SA 461
(KZD) at para 12.
[13]
Act
46 of 2000.
[RT1]
Any
suggestions?I think it should merely be deleted?
T: Edited it Judge, what
do you think? Do you still want to remove it?
sino noindex
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