Some caterers who provided services for the King’s birthday last year are still battling to receive their payments, months after the revered national event.
The companies were contracted by the government to provide food at M150 per meal to the public during the high-profile celebration held in Botha Bothe district on July 17, 2024.
Some companies were contracted to serve 150 people while others were to serve 75 people at the national event.
But frustrated caterers this week claimed that mismanagement and poor organisation of the event by the government had left them high and dry.
They told theReporter in separate interviews that they were engaged to provide meals without purchase orders, contrary to standard state procurement procedures, resulting in them struggling to get their payments.
A senior government official yesterday acknowledged that there had been a breakdown in communication over preparations for the event.
Former deputy principal secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Johane Masia, said the sourcing of caterers was supposed to have been handled by the central procurement team at the headquarters in Maseru.
However, there was miscommunication between the headquarters and the ministry’s officials in Botha Bothe, he noted.
“The sourcing of caterers was supposed to have been handled by the central procurement team at the ministry headquarters based on the registry of catering companies,” he explained.
“Apparently, the district office had already promised work to certain caterers, leading to complications when the central procurement team tried to take charge.”
Masia, who is now deputy principal secretary in the department of police, added that the ministry initially gave orders and made payments to caterers who were first contracted to provide services during the event.
Later, when it was realised that some caterers had been left out, the organisers decided to pair them with those already contracted.
“I understand some never received their dues from this arrangement due to lack of clear mechanism on how the partners would share the payments.
“Although I am no longer directly involved in the matter, I will reach out to the procurement team and the DA to ensure that everyone who provided catering services is paid. If there are justifications on the cases, I will do my best to ensure that they receive their payments,” Masia noted.
Disgruntled caterers, who are owed various amounts, said they were now on the brink and struggling to keep afloat as a result of non-payment for their services.
They also noted that they have accrued some debts in anticipation of receiving their payments.
They said confusion arose when the ministry decided that two companies should combine their services, using a single purchasing order.
This decision led to conflicts and a chaotic payment structure that has left many caterers stranded and without payment for their work, they said.
In other cases, companies that were in possession of the single order received payments in October last year, but have not shared the money with their partners.
Investigations by this publication have also revealed that some pairs have not been paid because they still do not have orders for work done.
One of the caterers affected by the payment delays, ‘Mapotlile Mahase of Sheemah Catering recounted her experience this week.
Mahase said she was paired with another company and together the two companies served 300 people. Each is owed M22,500 for their services.
“We have been waiting patiently for months but without any success,” she noted, adding that this has left her company in dire straits and struggling to find other jobs.
“I don’t have funds to cater for other events. This experience has been deeply frustrating and disheartening. I put so much effort to prepare for that event,” Mahase explained.
She blamed mismanagement and potential corruption in the procurement process for the King’s birthday celebration.
Initially, she said, about 50 catering companies in Botha Bothe were informed by the Ministry of Home Affairs that they would each be serving 100 people.
However, just a week before the event, the organisers reportedly abruptly changed the plan, requiring each company to cater for 150 people instead.
“We reported our case to Ntate DA (Botha Bothe district administrator, Tšepa Chaba) several times but to no avail.
“Even two weeks ago we were at his office seeking an update but there is still no solution,” Mahase added.
Another caterer, ‘Malihaelo Qhobela, owner of Denede Catering said they were put into a precarious position when the ministry instructed them to combine their orders under a single purchasing agreement.
This led to chaos during payment, she said.
“I was paired with another catering company and each served 75 people. We’re expecting a payment of M11,250. Yet, despite our efforts, we have not received any payment and when we inquired, we are told that we do not have invoices.
“The same people who failed to give us purchase orders and told us that we would receive them after the event since everything was done under pressure, are now refusing to pay us.
“It is surprising that all the companies that were engaged at the event including VIP sections only received purchasing orders after the event. That was the standard arrangement. My business has been relying on that money. Now, I am struggling to maintain operations while waiting for the ministry to resolve this matter,” she complained.
Qhobela indicated that the non-payment has had serious financial repercussions on her business as she took out a loan to purchase ingredients and hired extra staff to cater for the event.
Being a first-time caterer at a national event, she expressed her disappointment by the disorganisation and lack of communication from the ministry responsible for organising the King’s birthday.
“This was my first experience catering for an event of this magnitude and it has left me disillusioned. The level of disorganisation and miscommunication from the organisers has been shocking. I’m not sure I will participate at a similar event again,” she said.
Contacted for comment on Wednesday this week, DA Chaba stated that only 40 catering companies in Botha Bothe were contracted to provide services for the King’s birthday celebration.
“As far as I am aware, these 40 companies fulfilled their obligations, and received their payments because they had orders. However, I have received reports that there are some who have not been paid,” he said.
He added that he had reached out to the ministry pleading for the disbursement of the outstanding payments, “but I have not been told when exactly these will be made.”
Chaba however, admitted that it would be difficult to pay companies that provided services without purchasing orders.
