DS Consortium's director – a joint venture of Dots Design and Sanaqua Events - Mosa Likobo, says he filed an urgent application because had he followed the normal time periods, the matter will not be heard before the end of October 2022 and by then, Macufe will be done. Likobo filed the application against the Free State Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, because he wishes the department’s decision of awarding C-Squared the tender to be the service provider for Macufe to be reviewed. He explained that the decision of the department must be set aside, as he is declaring it to be unlawful.

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If the judge votes in favour of the applicant, he wants C-Squared to be excluded when the department reevaluates the bids submitted for the tender. His founding affidavit outlines that in awarding the tender to C-Squared, the department had deviated from the tender specifications without informing other bidders. The invitation for service providers to bid to render event management services for the Macufe events had specifications which included the dates, venues and capacity of the events. However, on 9 September 2022 – Likobo came across Macufe events posters, all stating the venue will be at the Old Greys Sports Club. “The change in venues that were outlined in the bid invitation is a remarkable feature,” he says.

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As he was one of the bidders to be chosen as the service provider for Macufe, he said that had he known that multiple events could be hosted at a single venue, DS Consortium’s bid would have been lower than the R22 960 962.40 he had submitted – his bid was that much because he was of a view that he would have to move equipment to and from different venues, which would demand transport and labour. C-Squared’s bid was R16 849 863.80 because different events will be held at the same venue.

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