By: Natasha Archary
President Cyril Ramaphosa says the newly sanctioned Public Procurement Act will curb tender corruption, ensuring that public funds is put to use where intended.
Ramaphosa announced the signing of the Act in his weekly newsletter on Monday, 29 July and called the Act a framework that will regulate public procurement, including preferential procurement by all organs of state.
“As we intensify our collective efforts to build an inclusive economy that creates jobs, the Public Procurement Act allows us to make [the] best use of public funds to support transformation and local development.
At the same time, by implementing measures to prevent the abuse of public procurement, the Act will help to ensure that public funds are put to the uses for which they are intended.
Among other things, the law establishes a Public Procurement Office in the National Treasury, which must put in place measures to ensure the integrity of the procurement process. All the members of this office must perform their functions impartially and without fear, favour or prejudice.”
While Ramaphosa is of the view that the Public Procurement Act is going to curb tender corruption by ensuring no government official may be directed, either verbally or in writing, to violate the required procurement processes, there has been some criticism to the Act.
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde called the Act unconstitutional, saying this will just be a handbrake to service delivery.
However, Ramaphosa is adamant that the Public Procurement Act will stop abuses that took place during the State Capture era which involved political office bearers, business people and others putting pressure on managers to flout procurement regulations.
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