Question NW1449 to the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure

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18 August 2020 - NW1449

Profile picture: Graham, Ms SJ

Graham, Ms SJ to ask the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure

(1)With regard to assessing what procurement is required for expenditure related to Covid-19 and which will require deviation from supply chain procedures through emergency procurement under the Disaster Management Act, Act 57 of 2002, what (a) criteria are used to determine the qualifying items and/or projects and (b) mechanisms are in place to ensure that deviation is done strictly in line with the emergency procurement processes; (2) whether any projects that have been outstanding for a long time have been completed under the guise of Covid-19 projects; if not, what safeguards have been put in place to prevent such projects from being completed under the guise of Covid-19 projects; if so, what are the further relevant details?

Reply:

The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure:

1.(a) I was informed by the Department of Public Works and Infrasructure (DPWI) that the procurement of quarantine sites for Covid-19 is a deviation from supply chain processes and is done under “emergency” regulations.

The qualifying criteria for determination of this procurement is the notification received from the NatJoints Containment Work stream of all persons entering the country via the air, sea and land ports of entry and who require to be quarantined.The Beitbridge border fence was also procured through emergency from ordinary supply chain management processes.

(b) Emergency procurement is a delegated function which requires each delegated authority to consider the nature of the emergency request prior to approving the emergency. The emergency approval granted by the delegated authority is thereafter ratified by the relevant Bid Adjudication Committee.

(2) No requests were received via user clients or User Demand Management to complete projects under disguise of Covid-19.

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