Parliament, Tuesday, 2 February 2021 – The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) has sent a letter to the ministers of health and finance calling for open tender processes for the storage and distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine.
The committee has requested the two ministers in the letter to ensure that there is a transparent public adjudication of the tender processes. Furthermore, the committee calls upon the executive to ensure that all normal tender processes are adhered to according to Note 3 of the National Treasury Regulations and the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).
According to the committee, the distribution of the vaccine is a turning point in the fight against Covid-19 and therefore, the country cannot afford the recurrence of maladministration and fraud in the tender process for the vaccine as it happened in the procurement processes for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
The committee said it is important to close all the gaps and loopholes that can be exploited by those who want to benefit from this pandemic that has taken lives of thousands of South Africans.
The public purse is already overstretched due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the South African economy. It is important therefore, that this process is done properly right from the beginning. Parliament cannot be complacent at this juncture and must ensure that oversight is exercised over the procurement processes for the Covid-19 vaccine.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF SCOPA, MR MKHULEKO HLENGWA.
For media enquiries, please contact the Committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Ms Faith Ndenze
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8062
Cell: 081 377 0686
Email: fndenze@parliament.gov.za
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