Africa-Press – Botswana. Residents of Good Hope/Mabule constituency have been advised to internalise the public tendering processes.
Speaking during a public lecture in Good Hope on Monday, acting CEO of Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA), Ms Tumelo Motsumi said efforts were afoot to close corruption gaps in tendering processes.
Ms Motsumi cited the new Public Procurement Act, which provides that the accounting officer is fully responsible for all procurement activities within their organisation, as one such effort.
She said the Act also provides for structures, which consist of procurement oversight unit, procurement unit and establishment of an ad-hoc evaluation committees to assist the accounting officer to execute procurement functions.
She revealed that accounting officers were also responsible for handling complaints and any appeals emanating from their decisions appealed to the Public Procurement Tribunal before reaching the courts.
“The new law also introduces new procurement methods such as competitive dialogue, reverse auction, unsolicited bid, best and final offer as well as negotiated procedure.
The new act also covers Public Private Partnerships,” she said.
Ms Motsumi said the PPRA was an oversight authority responsible for the regulation of public procurement whose roles also included setting standards and practices for the public procurement system and regulating and controlling the public procurement system.
She said it was also responsible for enforcing the Act, monitoring the performance of procuring entities, providing and supporting capacity- building and professionalisation of public procurement stakeholders.
She said the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal and Local Authorities Procurement and Asset Disposal acts were collapsed into one: Public Procurement Act.
The Act encompasses public procurement systems in central and local government, land boards, parastatals and any other government-funded institutions.
Ms Motsumi implored Batswana to jealously guard against and declare zero tolerance on corruption.
Barolong deputy kgosi, Kgosi Botiki Motshegare appreciated the lecture, saying knowledge on tendering processes was vital to improving livelihoods.
Kgosi Motshegare said such a move would clear the mist surrounding tenders and implored the community to always ask for information from relevant authorities.
The residents appreciated the lecture, noting that the Act would go a long way in helping thwart corruption in the country.
They, however, called for proper project management, lack of which they said negatively affected project execution and service delivery.
A resident of Phitshane/Molopo, Ms Felicia Masole, called for equity and fairness in awarding of tenders, while Ms Bonnike Magashula, of Good Hope said the information was invaluable for those who bid.
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