The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mpumalanga has written to Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane requesting her to provide details why her office ‘deliberately’ appointed service providers who lack skills to investigate alleged corruption in the Province.
According to the Auditor General (AG) report of 2019/2020, it appears that the Office of the Premier deliberately appointed service providers who lack certain skills to ensure that investigations in to alleged corruption will be flawed. It also appears that the Office of the Premier awarded this tender to unqualifying service providers who government officials could manipulate, knowing full well the tender was awarded erroneously.
This is in contravention of section 2(1)(f) of the Preferential Policy Framework Act of South Africa, 2000 (Act No.5 of 2000) (PPPFA).
The AG has also further stated that the service providers who achieved minimum qualifying scores for functional criteria were not evaluated further in accordance with preferential procurement regulation 5(7)
The AG reported that this non-compliance was identified in the procurement process for the appointment of service providers to provide expert and strategic support to forensic, special, and other investigation services including litigation matters.
The AG concluded his report by stating that management within the Office of the Premier did not adequately monitor and review compliance with laws and regulations, considering the non-compliance of the Supply chain management prescripts.
The office of this Mpumalanga Premier leads NOT by example. Corruption is always swept under the carpet. This province is in dire need of a government that possess the right leadership with the political will to make necessary changes, so that the lives of residents can improve. Like the whole of South Africa, Mpumalanga needs a DA government that deals with corruption heads on and transparent.