By Judith Ugwumadu | 17 February 2014
Public sector procurement in South Africa will be centralised in a bid to root out corruption, President Jacob Zuma has announced.
Delivering his first state speech since the death of Nelson Mandela last year, Zuma said that South Africa was united in wanting a corruption free society and would welcome measures designed to fight corruption within the public service.
‘To prevent corruption in the supply chain system, government has decided to establish a central tender board to adjudicate tenders in all spheres of government,’ Zuma stated in the February 13 speech.
The board, he said, would work with the chief procurement officer whose main function ‘will be to check on pricing and adherence to procedures as well as fairness.’
The new measure would also make it easier to monitor corrupt officials, he added.
Zuma reiterated the government’s commitment to other major corruption projects currently undertaken in South Africa. He said fighting corruption within the public service was yielding results.
‘Since the launch of the National Anti-Corruption Hotline by the Public Service Commission, over 13,000 cases of corruption and maladministration have been referred to government departments for further handling and investigation.
‘Government has recovered more than ZAR320m ($29.5m) from perpetrators through the National Anti-Corruption Hotline.’
He went on: ‘The Special Investigating Unit is investigating maladministration or alleged corruption in a number of government departments and state entities, through 40 proclamations signed by the President during this administration.
‘We will keep the public informed of the outcome of the investigations.’
Zuma said that in the first six months of 2013, the Asset Forfeiture Unit – a department established 1999 to seize criminal assets – paid a total of ZAR149m ($13.7m) into the Criminal Assets Recovery Account and to victims of crime.
He added: ‘This is 170% above its target of ZAR55m ($5.073m) and is higher than it has ever achieved in a full year.’
