Lindsay Dentlinger | 05 September

Under the new bill, supply chain management will become the function of a new public procurement office housed within the Treasury.
CAPE TOWN - Nine years since Cabinet first approved an overhaul of government’s procurement system, a new bill that will centralise tender processes across all spheres of government is finally under discussion in Parliament.
But concerns were raised on Tuesday by opposition parties whether the new Public Procurement Bill will advance transformation and the capacity of the state.
Under the new bill, supply chain management will become the function of a new public procurement office housed within the Treasury.
The Treasury says a single procurement system for the state will level the playing field and will also address many of the ethical concerns raised by the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.
Under the new Public Procurement Bill, several existing preferential procurement laws will fall away in favour of new regulations to be decided by the finance minister.
But Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Mzwanele Manyi believes the bill’s intentions are misguided.
"What we should be discussing is how the state aims to build capacity within itself to provide the services it’s preparing to outsource to other people right now."
The Democratic Alliance (DA)'s Dion George is concerned about corruption within the central procurement office.
"This body is going to be very powerful and very big and very susceptible. How does that get held to account?"
Treasury says it believes these aspects have been fairly addressed in the bill, which will now be subjected to public scrutiny.
‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’.