Gauteng to tighten tender system in corruption fight

THE Gauteng provincial government was planning to open tender processes to the public — beginning with its department of transport and treasury — in a bid to curb corruption, Premier David Makhura said yesterday. He was reacting to a study by the Gauteng City-Region Observatory, which found that almost 90% of people in the province were concerned about corruption as a threat to democracy.

THE Gauteng provincial government was planning to open tender processes to public scrutiny — beginning with its department of transport and treasury — in a bid to curb corruption, Premier David Makhura said yesterday.

He was reacting to a study by the Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO), which found that almost 90% of the people in the province were concerned about corruption as a threat to democracy. The GCRO is a research partnership between the Gauteng provincial government, Wits University and the University of Johannesburg.

Mr Makhura said that “a fresh approach” was needed to combat corruption. “The general problem with institutions fighting corruption in government is that they are geared towards catching those who have already stolen public money,” the premier said at the release of the GCRO’s 2013 Quality of Life survey at Wits University.

Rather, government needed to make it difficult for people to engage in corruption by ensuring that decision-making processes on tenders were transparent.

“We’re opening the tender processes to the public. We’ve started with two departments. So those who are going to be making decisions on tenders will have to know that there will be scrutiny, and everybody who is bidding must know there will be a public scrutiny.”

He said this would reduce the chances of bidders winning contracts they did not deserve.

“One of the new things we’re going to do in a big way is to emphasise what we call integrity promotion in government. We need a fresh approach and that integrity promotion is to build institutions to prevent people from doing it.”

Mr Makhura’s administration would put in place systems that ensure those involved with tenders were scrutinised. He sought to emphasise that the delivery of bricks and mortar was not enough as government also needed to improved its relationship with citizens and communities. Corruption was a stumbling block in achieving this.

GCRO executive director David Everatt said the study found that on the whole Gauteng residents enjoyed and appreciated high quality service delivery. In particular, many were happy with the delivery of water, electricity and houses.

About 27,500 people participated in the survey, with more than 200 questions being asked. He said Gauteng residents are generally happy with the quality of their lives.

However, dissatisfaction with all spheres of government is at an alltime low, indicating that service delivery alone is not enough.

“The social fabric is under enormous strain; the gap between state and citizen is a matter of real concern for the developmental pro-

So those who are going to be making decisions on tenders will have to know that there will be scrutiny

ject as a whole,” said Prof Everatt.

“Efficient government is not enough. People want clean and transparent government.”

The study found that racial attitudes were hardening, with 73% of Africans agreeing or strongly agreeing that they will never trust white people. Levels of xenophobia were also growing.

The survey found that income inequality in Gauteng metros had possibly declined between 2009 and last year, but were still very high by international standards.

South African Local Government Association Gauteng chairman and mayor of Johannesburg Parks Tau said the survey will help the municipalities in the province to improve on service delivery.

He encouraged residents to engage government on it.