South Africans can now probe government tenders online

Government’s first Procurement Payments Dashboard using data from the Basic Accounting System (BAS) is officially live for the public to probe tenders by the state.

During his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement speech on 12 November, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana stated that the newly launched dashboard “represents a massive step forward in procurement transparency.”

Available on the National Treasury eTender website, it displays the payments made to suppliers by most national and provincial government departments, as captured in their payments system.

“The dashboard will help identify inefficiencies, anomalies and uncovering opportunities for consolidation.”

It also enables the analysis of procurement expenditure and the suppliers that do business with the state, giving the public the ability to hold departments accountable and supporting efforts to fight corruption and fraud.

Godongwana said the new system would help prevent a repeat of large-scale looting through tender irregularities.

Citing the Tembisa Hospital case, he noted that officials had evaded oversight by splitting contracts below the threshold to bypass tender rules.

The new system, he explained, will enable authorities to track such conduct nationwide and raise red flags in a timely manner to prevent abuse.

“Trust must be earned, whether from the public or from the markets. We are working to earn it and to build the credibility that can help South Africa grow faster for the benefit of all,” said Treasury DG Dr. Duncan Pieterse.

A welcome step – OUTA

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse said that Treasury’s effort to improve procurement transparency through the launch of a Procurement Payments Dashboard on the eTender portal “is a welcome step.”

“OUTA has always maintained that transparency is the enemy of corruption,” said OUTA CEO Wayne Duvenage.

The organistation emphasised that it must be implemented in a way that is accessible and meaningful to civil society.

“Treasury should invite public input to help identify and restrict corrupt suppliers and directors from doing business with the state at all levels.”