TETRA  |  2011-06-13

Tshwane to spend millions fixing shoddy work

Source: The Critical Communications Review | Gert Jan Wolf editor

It is understood the equipment used is satisfactory but is has been installed incorrectly

The Tshwane Municipality’s plan to fix shoddy work performed by an inexperienced contractor will cost millions of rand.

It paid out more than R150million ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup for the metro police’s Tetra Radio Network but the system does not work. The winning bidder, Oageng Office Solutions, had no communications experience and Eyewitness News has confirmed is linked to a senior metro policeman.

Tetra industry sources said the Tshwane Municipality paid a consultant more than R50,000 to diagnose its network failure. It is understood the equipment used is satisfactory but is has been installed incorrectly.

Sources said Oageng illegally imported the equipment and the labour to set it up from Korea. They said the city also needs to spend several millions more replacing the cheap inferior radio handsets.

The municipality did not respond to questions.

Source: www.eyewitnessnews.co.za