Corruption Watch raises concerns over Treasury’s emergency procurement process

Corruption Watch says they have sent a letter to National Treasury expressing their concerns of the lack of transparency regarding the release of different instruction notes relating to emergency procurement under Covid-19.

The main concern from the organisation is emergency procurements under previous regulations, how the process occurred, what reporting and publication requirements are in place to support the decisions, it said in a statement.

Karam Singh, head of legal and investigations at Corruption Watch said: “Issues of transparency and accountability are paramount in all of our work, and nowhere are these more critical than in the arena of public procurement.”

“While we appreciate the need for fluidity to respond to the shifting demands of this global pandemic, it is equally as important that the basic principles governing procurement remain in place to ensure that the much-needed support reaches beneficiaries timeously and without interference.”

Singh said corruption largely impacted poorer South Africans and communities and the pandemic had further exposed this.

“We must do everything within our power to limit further damage, and ensure that there is ample provision for public scrutiny of procurement during this crisis.”

Corruption Watch urged treasury to improve transparency so that civil society organisations like themselves can effectively monitor emergency procurement.

(Compiled by Sandisiwe Mbhele)

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