Youth Games audit nails officials Local Organising Committee (LOC) chairperson Khonzani Ncube, chief executive Elkannah Dube

Sikhumbuzo Moyo in BULAWAYO
NINE officials have been nailed as having been responsible for various irregularities which marred the 2014 African Union Sports Council Region Five Under-20 Youth Games.

Huge amounts of financial resources remain unaccounted for as well as goods that were purchased well after the end of the Games.

Auditors raised the red flags on Local Organising Committee (LOC) chairperson Khonzani Ncube, chief executive Elkannah Dube as well as two officials from the then Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Mike Dzimati and one Muchada.

The auditors noted that Muchada, a chief quantity surveyor in the ministry, signed off variation orders, serial number 13741 for Combined Services, contract number 9983 at Barbourfields Stadium, despite the fact there were no drawings, site instructions or bills of quantities (BOQ) attached to the variation orders amounting to US$151 616.11.

Muchada also signed off variation orders amounting to US$144 936 under serial numbers 15562 and 13755 for Techno Expert Construction contract 9965 at Luveve Stadium despite the fact that there were no drawings, site instructions or BOQs attached to the orders. He was also responsible for payment variation order 15557 for Olimas Engineering contract at Bulawayo Swimming Pool.

Olimas Engineering got a contract to install a heating system at the pool but the system was never functional during the Games, yet they got paid.

The contract was initially worth US$214 923.50.

Dzimati signed the final acceptance, letter awarding Olimas Engineering the tender, yet the company did not provide a record of similar projects or those that it successfully completed in the past.

He was also the one who signed the final acceptance letter for a US$104 109.50 Nextchir Construction tender yet the company did not meet mandatory tender requirements like minimum technical qualifications.

The firm also did submit their company profile.

It was the same with Asphalt Products for the Luveve Stadium tender yet Dzimati went ahead and signed the acceptance letter.

LOC chairperson Ncube, and her chief executive, Dube, authorised the receiving of goods and services worth US$114 613.03 after the closure of the Games.

Dube also authorised payments for purchases worth US$5 175 without purchase orders and three quotations.

Simplicio Musekiwa, the Loc acting administration and procurement director, conveniently failed to avail to the auditors an asset register detailing all assets owned by the LOC.

LOC chief accountant, David Mubariki, authorised payments worth US$1 319 502.79 without purchase orders, requisite three quotations and goods received vouchers.

Purchases worth US$577 208.80 were paid for without purchase orders, three quotations and goods received vouchers in violation of LOC finance and procurement policy on the orders of Lathi Sijingo, the LOC director of finance.

Enock Mateta, the LOC accountant, authorised payments for purchases worth US$153 928.82 without any paper trail.

Another LOC accountant, Betty Sihle, authorised payments for goods worth US$160 314. Meanwhile, stung by the damning contents in the audit report, LOC chairperson Ncube yesterday called for an emergency meeting of all the former LOC members.

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