City of Tshwane waiting on Treasury decision on its plan to blacklist Edwin Sodi

JOHANNESBURG - The City of Tshwane says it is still awaiting a decision from National Treasury regarding its plan to have controversial tenderpreneur Edwin Sodi barred from doing business with the state.

This is related to a R295 million tender allegedly awarded improperly to his company in 2019 to refurbish the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The company was unable to complete the upgrades, which led to the city terminating its contract with his Blackhead consulting company.

The upgrades would have resulted in households in Hammanskraal receiving clean drinking water from their taps.

Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya visited the treatment plant on Thursday to assess the upgrades.

Blackhead Consulting, a company owned by Sodi, was part of a joint venture that failed to complete upgrades at the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The City of Tshwane's initial attempt to have Sodi's company blacklisted was unsuccessful after National Treasury found that the metro had not submitted all the required information.

Moya said that despite the hurdles, the city was moving forward with its effort to have Sodi's company blacklisted.

"We are all waiting for National Treasury to say whether they are proceeding with the blacklisting or not. That’s where we are but the part that was supposed to be done by the city has been done."

Sodi is also in hot water over another R255 million asbestos tender in the Free State, which was allegedly awarded improperly.