Latest news with #SouthAfricanNationalAntarcticProgramme
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Urgent application to stop ship tender ‘tailored' for the incumbent
Competing bidder JS Maritime Partners cries foul over tender conditions it says are designed to shut it out. The tender states that bidders with older rather than newer facilities and premises will be favoured. Picture: SA Agulhas II): South African National Antarctic Programme Marine management company JS Maritime Partners has filed an urgent application in the Cape High Court to stop the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) from awarding a tender for the management of the state-owned SA Agulhas II and Algoa vessels on the grounds that it is tailor-made for the incumbent, Amsol. The DFFE says it will oppose the application. Captain Stefan Bulow, CEO of JS Maritime, states: 'We have brought this application on an urgent basis because we believe the tender is tailor-made for the incumbent and designed to eliminate competing bids.' The bid closed on 23 May. ALSO READ: 'New site for tender fraud': EFF wary of SA's new petrol company Necessary information A tender briefing was held on 23 April in Cape Town with several bidders in attendance – among them JS Maritime Partners and Amsol. During the tender briefing, Bulow asked for information that only the incumbent operator would know, such as the insurance claims history and historical true spend on the ship, but says while the department has responded, the answers given are unsatisfactory and illogical. JS Maritime, an international shipping company based in Cape Town, has teamed up with HF Offshore, together operating 22 vessels, and with the local Khoisan Consortium to bid for ship management and consulting contracts in SA. 'All we are asking for is a level playing field,' says Bulow. 'From the way the tender is designed, it is clear that there can only be one outcome, and that is to the benefit of Amsol. We have asked the DFFE for answers to a number of questions that are vital to our ability to submit a comprehensive and accurate tender, but the requests were declined on the basis that bidders must estimate and provide assumptions, which is illogical. 'So, unfortunately, we have to take this matter to court and seek an urgent interdict to stop the tender going ahead as it is currently structured.' ALSO READ: Sanral suspends R1.57bn contract award pending an investigation The information it requested from the DFFE: The insurance claims history of the SA Agulahs II and the Algoa, which is essential in determining insurance premiums; The current insured values of the two vessels and their tonnage specifications; The historical costs of operating the vessels, which only Amsol would know; Clarification on the meaning of various cost codes in the tender documents; Daily charter rates, number of charters, and crew size; Fuel rates; and Costs for drydocking and maintenance. 'The current service provider, Amsol, has access to all such information,' Julio Sieni of Dirk Kotze Attorneys for JS Maritime wrote to the DFFE. 'Were this not the case, it would be unable to perform. Thus, not to share this information with other potential bidders would be grossly irregular and blatantly unfair and would fall foul of all legislation pertaining to this type of tender process.' The lack of response for specific information from the DFFE to questions is troubling, says Bulow. ALSO READ: SCA finds defence department's R60 million tender invalid and unlawful No response for Moneyweb either Moneyweb approached Amsol for comment and was referred to the DFFE. The DFFE promised to reply to Moneyweb's questions a week ago but had not done so at the time of publication. What is clear, however, is that it intends opposing JS Maritime's application. Other irregularities There are a number of other irregularities in the tender document highlighted by JS Maritime. For example, the requirement that the tenderer must have had the required facilities and premises for more than eight years in order to achieve maximum points. This is illogical, says Bulow, and seems to have been inserted to benefit the incumbent rather than someone else with more suitable and modern premises that are not eight years old. Sieni says the failure of the DFFE to provide the requested information to complete the tender application – information that is crucial to completing the tender document – and its silence on the request to extend the tender closing date, leaves it with no option but to approach the Western Cape High Court for an urgent interdict. This article was republished from Moneyweb. Read the original here.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
A Team of Scientists Is Trapped at Isolated Antarctic Base for 10 Months. 1 of Them Just Attacked and Threatened Others: Report
A researcher has allegedly attacked fellow colleagues while they're stationed at an isolated base in Antarctica, it's been reported An email sent by one of the scientists said the person, who hasn't been named, was behaving in a "deeply disturbing" manner, per South Africa's An investigation is reportedly underway and the situation is being monitored A researcher at an isolated base in Antarctica sent a worrying email, accusing another team member of physical and sexual assault, as well as threatening to kill somebody, it's been reported. An overwintering team, consisting of 10 members, is almost entirely cut off from the outside world at South Africa's Antarctica base amid harsh weather conditions, per South Africa's The Time. According to the U.K. Times, the group is stationed at the SANAE IV (South African National Antarctic Expedition) base located in Vesleskarvet, Queen Maud Land. Last month, a team member sparked concern after sending an email about a person's "egregious" and "deeply disturbing" behavior, accusing them of physical and sexual assault, as well as threatening to kill somebody, the publication stated. "His behavior has become increasingly egregious, and I am experiencing significant difficulty in feeling secure in his presence,' the email read, per the outlet. 'It is imperative that immediate action is taken to ensure my safety and the safety of all employees." 'Regrettably, [his] behavior has escalated to a point that is deeply disturbing. Specifically, he physically assaulted [name withheld], which is a grave violation of personal safety and workplace norms," the message continued, the outlet stated. 'Furthermore, he threatened to kill [name withheld], creating an environment of fear and intimidation. I remain deeply concerned about my own safety, constantly wondering if I might become the next victim,' the email reportedly added. The person who sent the email and the alleged attacker have not been publicly named. The message reportedly stated "numerous concerns" about the person in question had allegedly been raised before the S. A. Agulhas II ship that brought them there had departed on its return journey, per the outlet. The journey from Cape Town is approximately 2,485 miles and takes around 10-15 days depending on the amount of ice the group hits on the way, per South Africa's The Times. The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), which manages the South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP), confirmed an investigation is underway regarding the email. Per AccuWeather, temperatures in the area are ranging this week from around 5 degrees Fahrenheit to around -7.6 degrees Fahrenheit. 'The department is responding to these concerns with the utmost urgency and have had a number of interventions with all parties concerned at the base,' DFFE communications chief Peter Mbelengwa said, per South Africa's The Times. 'A full investigation is being commissioned and the department will act accordingly in relation to any wrong conduct against any official that has misconducted themselves,' Mbelengwa added, per the outlet. DFFE minister Dion George confirmed he'd seen the email, the publication stated. South Africa's The Times reported that the only way to leave the base right now would be "via emergency medical evacuation to a neighboring German base" around 186 miles away, citing two sources with inside knowledge. DFFE's Mbelengwa told the outlet that tests had previously been done to "ensure the team can endure the psychological stress of isolation," per South Africa's The Times. 'In this instance, no negative outcomes were recorded in relation to all the overwinterers in Sanae, which forms a critical component of the department's risk assessment processes,' he said, according to the outlet. "[They] are being taken through a thorough process and their various options are being discussed. During this unforeseen incident, the department is engaging with the professional that undertook the psychometric evaluation, to have the overwinterers reassessed and to assist with coping mechanisms during their time at the base, inclusive of conflict resolution strategies, interpersonal skills improvement as well as overall counseling and support," he continued. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The first South African National Antarctic Expedition (SANAE) departed in 1959, per the website. As well as SANAE IV, there is also one station each on the subantarctic islands Gough Island and Marion Island. Professional explorer Alan Chambers, who completed a 700-mile skiing expedition to the South Pole in 2024, said of the Antarctica conditions, per the U.K.'s The Times, 'From a psychological perspective it's a very very lonely place. There's very little interaction with humans or animals so if you're in a camp or a research center you're with those people for six months, if not a year." 'What I think it does, from a psychological point of view, is that everything becomes heightened. It's all white — there's no color, no noise and nothing you would see as normal so everybody's behavior — including your own — gets magnified and the little things become the big things," he added. Per South Africa's The Times, a person was removed from the Marion Island base after "allegedly running amok with an axe" six years ago. DFFE's Mbelengwa, a contact for the SANAE IV base and a spokesperson for Dion George didn't immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information regarding the investigation into the emails. Read the original article on People
