Ministry warned CPBN of fast-approaching FMD threat

The agriculture ministry warned the Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) in early September that foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in South Africa was advancing towards Namibia much faster than anticipated, weeks before the disease was confirmed on a farm in the ||Kharas region.The warning is revealed in a 49-page affidavit by CPBN chairperson Mary Shiimi, filed in the High Court, where the board is opposing an urgent application by China Jiangxi International (Namibia) JV Homefin Properties over the procurement of a veterinary fence.Shiimi said the distance between the outbreak and Namibia had shrunk from about 400 kilometres to 300 kilometres when the disease reached the Northern Cape, then to about 100 kilometres."… by the time of the CPBN's urgent consideration in September 2026, [the distance] had reduced to approximately 65 kilometres,” Shiimi's affidavit reads.That information, together with falling water levels in the Orange River that increased the risk of livestock crossing the border, changed the urgency of building a veterinary cordon fence along Namibia's border with South Africa, she said.According to Shiimi, the ministry also cautioned against waiting until the disease was right on Namibia's doorstep before acting.Suspected FMD cases were detected on a commercial farm in the Karasburg State Veterinary District in ||Kharas on 22 September. Samples were taken from 11 cattle that day, and laboratory results on 23 September confirmed that 10 were positive.The outbreak led to the suspension of Namibia's FMD-free status and restrictions on livestock and meat exports.Orange River riskShiimi said the agriculture ministry also warned that water levels were falling in the Orange River, which forms part of the border between Namibia and South Africa, raising the risk of livestock crossing."The reduction in water level of the Orange River materially increased the vulnerability of the border and heightened the need for the veterinary cordon fence to be constructed without further delay," she said.The warnings marked a significant shift from the circumstances in which the procurement process began.According to Shiimi, the process originated around 15 June, when agriculture officials met to consider the FMD outbreak in South Africa and measures to stop its spread into Namibia.The ministry proposed building a veterinary cordon fence along the border, but at first believed a fast-tracked competitive procurement process could still deliver the project in time.“During the meeting, the ministry, represented by [chief veterinary officer] Dr Kenneth Shoombe, among others, indicated that although the urgency of the situation was somewhat present, it was considered that a competitive procurement process could still produce the required and expected outcome, provided that the process was expedited," the affidavit states.“The ministry requested that CPBN proceed with a competitive bidding process on ‘an urgent basis’,” Shiimi added.Shoombe has also filed an affidavit supporting CPBN's account of the agriculture ministry's assessment of the escalating FMD threat and the circumstances surrounding the move to emergency procurement.The tender was advertised on 22 June and closed on 14 July after attracting 23 bids.CPBN considered the first evaluation report on 6 August but raised issues and referred it back to the bid evaluation committee. A further report was considered on 13 August.China Jiangxi International JV subsequently emerged as the preferred bidder.“The applicant's bid was selected as the lowest substantially responsive bid under the competitive procurement process,” Shiimi said.The joint venture's actual bid was N$126.4 million. Its evaluated price was reduced to about N$120 million after application of the relevant margin of preference.Punchu Trading CC JV China State Construction Engineering Co. Southern Africa ranked second.FMD threat closes inShiimi said bidders subsequently lodged reconsideration applications, and that the board "was in the process of considering those reconsideration applications when the circumstances surrounding the procurement materially changed".Shiimi said “CPBN provisionally (pending representations by bidders) decided on 3 September 2026 to cancel the competitive procurement process ... and to pursue an emergency procurement through the direct procurement method”.According to her affidavit, the ministry advised CPBN on 4 September that the contractor selected under the emergency process should, as far as possible, be familiar with the site and prevailing conditions and capable of starting immediately.“Commencement of the works was a priority and that the selected contractor should, ideally, be capable of commencing the works by no later than Monday, 7 September 2026,” Shiimi said.CPBN returned to information submitted by the 23 bidders that had participated in the original tender, including their prices, technical capabilities and information arising from site visits.“It was in this context that Punchu emerged as a prospective contractor for purposes of the emergency direct procurement,” Shiimi said.She said Punchu was selected because of its capacity, familiarity with the site, competitive price and ability to commence work without delay.Punchu was ultimately awarded the emergency contract for N$122 088 331.88, compared with China Jiangxi International JV’s original N$126 373 500.07 bid – a difference of about N$4.29 million.

Ministry warned CPBN of fast-approaching FMD threat

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-06

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Ministry warned CPBN of fast-approaching FMD threat

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-06

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