Government mulls setting up special courts to tackle Covid-19 graft
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President Cyril Ramaphosa says the government is looking into establishing special courts, similar to those set up for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, in a bid to tackle corruption allegations related to Covid-19 procurement.
Responding to questions in the National Assembly on Thursday, Ramaphosa said the state was also considering overhauling the tendering system, cutting out the so-called “tenderpreneurs”. The president said corruption allegations had caused much outrage among the public and MPs, and he himself was incensed.
“It is disgraceful that in the midst of a health crisis there are people who want to defraud the state and profiteer,” said Ramaphosa.
The government’s response to the Covid-19 crisis has been marred by corruption allegations relating to procurement. Accusations that government officials have been issuing procurement deals to politically connected individuals, including family members and friends, have dominated the headlines in recent weeks.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko, has taken special leave pending the outcome of investigations into allegations that a company in which her husband is a director received two contracts worth R125m to procure protective equipment for the Gauteng government. According to Diko, the contracts were later cancelled. Gauteng health minister Bandile Masuku has also taken leave after being implicated in the scandal.
In July, Ramaphosa authorised the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to probe all allegations of Covid-19 procurement irregularities.
The corruption allegations have prompted the Treasury to look into the possible centralisation of its procurement process. This week, the government published a list of all companies that have benefited from the state’s Covid-19-related procurement in an attempt to allay fears of corruption.
Ramaphosa told MPs on Thursday that Covid- 19 presented the government with an opportunity to introduce procurement reforms.
“I am putting a lot of hope in technology to tighten procurement systems. We will be moving in that direction as government. We cannot continue to use procurement systems that belong to the ice age,” Ramaphosa said, adding that the government would look into implementing artificial intelligence and blockchain technology to cut out corruption.
“The measures we are taking will lead to procurement reform and help to solve the many procurement maladies and ensure government does not overpay. We are meant to put this culture [of corruption] to an end, where government pays up to 800% mark-up,” he said.
“I believe that government should never pay a premium and should acquire at the right price or at best ...
Responding to questions in the National Assembly on Thursday, Ramaphosa said the state was also considering overhauling the tendering system, cutting out the so-called “tenderpreneurs”. The president said corruption allegations had caused much outrage among the public and MPs, and he himself was incensed.
“It is disgraceful that in the midst of a health crisis there are people who want to defraud the state and profiteer,” said Ramaphosa.
The government’s response to the Covid-19 crisis has been marred by corruption allegations relating to procurement. Accusations that government officials have been issuing procurement deals to politically connected individuals, including family members and friends, have dominated the headlines in recent weeks.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko, has taken special leave pending the outcome of investigations into allegations that a company in which her husband is a director received two contracts worth R125m to procure protective equipment for the Gauteng government. According to Diko, the contracts were later cancelled. Gauteng health minister Bandile Masuku has also taken leave after being implicated in the scandal.
In July, Ramaphosa authorised the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to probe all allegations of Covid-19 procurement irregularities.
The corruption allegations have prompted the Treasury to look into the possible centralisation of its procurement process. This week, the government published a list of all companies that have benefited from the state’s Covid-19-related procurement in an attempt to allay fears of corruption.
Ramaphosa told MPs on Thursday that Covid- 19 presented the government with an opportunity to introduce procurement reforms.
“I am putting a lot of hope in technology to tighten procurement systems. We will be moving in that direction as government. We cannot continue to use procurement systems that belong to the ice age,” Ramaphosa said, adding that the government would look into implementing artificial intelligence and blockchain technology to cut out corruption.
“The measures we are taking will lead to procurement reform and help to solve the many procurement maladies and ensure government does not overpay. We are meant to put this culture [of corruption] to an end, where government pays up to 800% mark-up,” he said.
“I believe that government should never pay a premium and should acquire at the right price or at best ...