It is not clear what makes the tender bids of SGL Engineering Projects quite so attractive - other than the opportunity they present for municipal mayors and managers to keep their heads. The Sowetan reported last week that SGL Engineering did not meet one of the basic minimum requirements of tendering for public works projects. The company, it said, was not registered with the Construction Industry Development Board. Clause 18 of the Construction Industry Development Board Act (no. 38 of 2000) states:
"A contractor may not undertake. carry out or complete any construction works or portion thereof for public sector contracts, awarded in terms of competitive tender or quotation, unless he or she is registered with the Board and holds a valid registration certificate issued by the Board."
Furthermore: "Any contractor who carries out or attempts to carry out any construction works or portion thereof under a public sector contract and who is not a registered contractor of the Board in terms of this Act, is guilty of an offence and liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding ten per cent of the value of the contract so carried out."
