Professionalise local govt urgently, says Maluleke

Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke addressed the Parliamentary Press Gallery Association last week on the ongoing challenge of compliance, material irregularities (MIs), and responsible financial management. “For the PFMA (Public Finance Management Act) report,” she said, “we identified a total loss of R14-billion. As we speak, R1.29-billion had been recovered.” This staggering loss is counted from 2019, Read more >

SIU shuts down another dubious PPE contract

Another victory for the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), handed down by its Special Tribunal. It involves a R257-million contract for personal protective equipment (PPE) entered into by the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) and a company called Nkhane Projects and Supply during the Covid-19 pandemic that rocked the country four years ago. The tribunal has Read more >

Nominations invited for NSFAS board members

Minister of Higher Education and Training Nobuhle Nkabane has called for the nomination of individuals to serve on the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) board. The window for nominations opened on 13 August 2024 and will close on Tuesday, 3 September 2024. Nominations can be emailed to Ms K Matjane at Matjane.k@dhet.gov.za or sent via Read more >

Abahlali victimisation, harassment, and murders again in the spotlight

Image: Abahlali baseMjondolo A report released in August 2024 once again casts light on the disproportionate victimisation, harassment, and killings of members of Abahlali baseMjondolo (Abahlali), South Africa’s largest social movement representing the interests of shack dwellers, the homeless, and the poor. The organisation supports millions who have lost hope for a better life and Read more >

Tshwane introduces new e-commerce portal, aims to reduce corruption

Public procurement is one of the most corruption-prone activities that governments undertake. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime cites several reasons for this situation, including the volume of transactions, the multitude of stakeholders, and the close interaction between public officials and businesses. Corruption Watch (CW) has built up an extensive body of work around Read more >

What procurement data can tell us about procrastination

By Kirsten Pearson One unique feature of public finance is the concept of lapsing funds. Any unspent government funds at the end of a financial year must be returned to the treasury. This makes perfect sense. If government is borrowing money to fund its programmes, why leave funds idle while paying interest on loans? But Read more >