Creecy cracks whip on tenders

257-MEC of Finance Barbara Creesy has vowed to strengthen finacial manadement in the province, talking at the press conference in her office in Johannesburg 24.07.2014 Picture:Dumisani Dube

257-MEC of Finance Barbara Creesy has vowed to strengthen finacial manadement in the province, talking at the press conference in her office in Johannesburg 24.07.2014 Picture:Dumisani Dube

Published Jul 25, 2014

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Johannesburg - Gauteng residents are sick and tired of corruption.

Gauteng MEC for Finance Barbara Creecy saidon Thursday widespread concerns about corruption by people in the province had prompted her department to act.

She said from now on:

* Tenders would be made public and their recipients made known.

* Names of companies and their directors bidding for tenders would also be publicised.

* The amounts of the contracts, the duration and completion would also be made public.

Creecy said the open-tender pilot project was her initiative and that of the Department of Roads and Transport to ensure the openness and transparency of the procurement processes.

“It will involve supporting bidders to comply with documentary requirements prior to the deadline for the tender; screening those sitting on the departmental acquisition committees for possible conflict of interest; publicising companies that bid for tenders; introducing independent compliance audits of the evaluation processes prior to the awarding of tenders; and publicising who has won these tenders.”

The pilot exercise was to develop a model for open tendering by Gauteng government departments, she added.

“We have to reassure citizens of efforts placed towards a clean and transparent government.

“No citizen has to doubt the integrity of the state in the administration of tenders, and whether those contracted are qualified to implement and complete the work they are contracted for. And that the tendering processes are open and fair,” she emphasised.

Creecy also promised she would ensure that service providers were paid within 30 days, adding that progress had already been made.

“In 2011/12, only 27 percent of suppliers were paid within 30 days. In 2012/13, the figure progressed to 51 percent and in 2013/14 this further improved to 82 percent.

“Of the 15 departments, 12 have performed at an average level of 96 percent. We are proud of the fact that the so-called big spenders, health and education, are now averaging 75 percent compliance and we intend to focus here over the next few months to ensure that we meet the premier’s target.”

Her department is setting up an electronic platform that can be accessed by all current and prospective government suppliers to send invoices directly and communicate with her department about non-payments.

They are to improve their existing invoice and payment-tracking system to identify and elevate problems for rapid decision-making and work with departments to simplify their payment and approval processes.

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The Star

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