Do away with emergency procurement, says Makhura in bid to root out corruption

Makhura made the comments shortly after releasing the 2022 integrity report at the Industrial Development Corporation headquarters in Sandton on Tuesday.

The report is a culmination of work done by the Gauteng ethics and anti-corruption council, hand in hand with work by forensic institutions. 

This includes the National Prosecuting Authority and the Special Investigating Unit. 

Makhura detailed the provincial government’s shortcomings and measures in place to guard against the looting of state resources.  

According to Makhura, the Covid-19 tender procurement failures are a prime example of why he believes government should shy away from emergency procurement, even in worse case scenarios. 

“The open tender system is designed so there will be scrutiny all the way. Organised crime hijacked emergency procurement to hit at the open tender system. We can’t abandon the open tender system but that thing called emergency tender procurement must never be allowed because that’s what was used to side step processes,” said Makhura.  

Makhura called for public sector reforms, including the open tender system, to be protected.  

“Initially there were misgivings it would prejudice black companies and we have been able to prove in Gauteng that the open tender system cannot necessarily prejudice black companies.

“Public scrutiny of the tender procurement system is a reform we need to institutionalise as a country,” Makhura added.  

He also called for recommendations made by the commission of inquiry into state capture to be implemented in a bid to fine-tune procurement processes.

Watch Makhura below: 

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