How KwaZulu-Natal's new electronic procurement system will ensure timely payments and combat corruption
KwaZulu-Natal Finance MEC Francois Rodgers believed that the province's new e-Procurement system would be a game changer when it comes to the quick payment of service providers, ensuring that government departments do not procure without having money.
Image: KZN Treasury Facebook
With the introduction of the new Electronic Procurement System (e-Procurement) in the KwaZulu-Natal government, service providers will be paid without delays, while corruption gaps will be sealed.
This was revealed when the KZN Finance Department's information technology specialist, Bongani Shezi, explained the system at a media briefing in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday.
The National Treasury, which approved and adopted the system from the national Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE), will not pay for using it, but will only spend between R3 million and R5 million for set-up costs.
The system would be fully implemented in the province between January 2026 and April 2027 through selected departments. Currently, KwaZulu-Natal will be the only province in the country to use it.
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In terms of operations, the system would kick in soon after a line manager identified the items needed by his or her team and got budget approval from the head of the department.
The supply chain manager would then log into the system, which would automatically go to the central supplier database, which provides a list of companies that supply the required items.
The system would ask the budget controller how much was available for the purchase, and it would do the quotation based on the available budget.
'The system would look at the commodity and select the suppliers, and if you want the item to be delivered in Mtubatuba (KwaZulu-Natal north coast), then it would pick suppliers around Mtubatuba,' said Shezi.
He said the departments will use the system to appoint the bid evaluation committee members.
'When the documents are being evaluated, each one of them (members) would have to come into the system and do the scoring on the system, and based on the scoring, the system would then make a recommendation,' said Shezi.
He said once the quotations come in, they get processed, and then the contract gets awarded automatically.
'The system would do your price because that's what comes in from quotation, depending on the service provider in terms of whether they are QSE (Qualifying Small Enterprise), rural, or township-based.
'It would then recommend the service provider, but if officials override the service provider and the system would ask, 'Why are you overriding this service provider that was recommended by the system?'' he said.
Shezi said the signed contract with the start and end dates and contract amount, which would be compiled by the legal services, would be uploaded into the system.
'The end date is what the system uses to send emails to the supply chain managers to remind them that this contract is going to come to an end.'
He said once the purchased items are delivered, the service provider submits an invoice, which will be captured by the system to track its movement from one person to another.
He said the invoice would then go through the system to the responsible manager, who will authorise the payment.
It would also go to the internal control manager, who must also check if the supporting documents are there, and then it goes to the supply chain manager, who would confirm that everything is captured correctly.
Its last stop would be the finance for the release of the money to pay the service provider through the system.
Shezi said someone would monitor the movement of the invoice because the government needed the invoices to be captured faster, since the system would also be used for payments.
He said the provincial Treasury was looking at enhancing the system's network connectivity at all provincial offices, especially in rural areas.
'If a supplier does not have connectivity, the supplier will be able to go to a government office because the connectivity is going to be there in terms of uploading documents and checking what bids are available for quotations,' said Shezi.
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How KwaZulu-Natal's new electronic procurement system will ensure timely payments and combat corruption
KwaZulu-Natal Finance MEC Francois Rodgers believed that the province's new e-Procurement system would be a game changer when it comes to the quick payment of service providers, ensuring that government departments do not procure without having money. Image: KZN Treasury Facebook With the introduction of the new Electronic Procurement System (e-Procurement) in the KwaZulu-Natal government, service providers will be paid without delays, while corruption gaps will be sealed. This was revealed when the KZN Finance Department's information technology specialist, Bongani Shezi, explained the system at a media briefing in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday. The National Treasury, which approved and adopted the system from the national Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE), will not pay for using it, but will only spend between R3 million and R5 million for set-up costs. The system would be fully implemented in the province between January 2026 and April 2027 through selected departments. Currently, KwaZulu-Natal will be the only province in the country to use it. In terms of operations, the system would kick in soon after a line manager identified the items needed by his or her team and got budget approval from the head of the department. The supply chain manager would then log into the system, which would automatically go to the central supplier database, which provides a list of companies that supply the required items. The system would ask the budget controller how much was available for the purchase, and it would do the quotation based on the available budget. 'The system would look at the commodity and select the suppliers, and if you want the item to be delivered in Mtubatuba (KwaZulu-Natal north coast), then it would pick suppliers around Mtubatuba,' said Shezi. He said the departments will use the system to appoint the bid evaluation committee members. 'When the documents are being evaluated, each one of them (members) would have to come into the system and do the scoring on the system, and based on the scoring, the system would then make a recommendation,' said Shezi. He said once the quotations come in, they get processed, and then the contract gets awarded automatically. 'The system would do your price because that's what comes in from quotation, depending on the service provider in terms of whether they are QSE (Qualifying Small Enterprise), rural, or township-based. 'It would then recommend the service provider, but if officials override the service provider and the system would ask, 'Why are you overriding this service provider that was recommended by the system?'' he said. Shezi said the signed contract with the start and end dates and contract amount, which would be compiled by the legal services, would be uploaded into the system. 'The end date is what the system uses to send emails to the supply chain managers to remind them that this contract is going to come to an end.' He said once the purchased items are delivered, the service provider submits an invoice, which will be captured by the system to track its movement from one person to another. He said the invoice would then go through the system to the responsible manager, who will authorise the payment. It would also go to the internal control manager, who must also check if the supporting documents are there, and then it goes to the supply chain manager, who would confirm that everything is captured correctly. Its last stop would be the finance for the release of the money to pay the service provider through the system. Shezi said someone would monitor the movement of the invoice because the government needed the invoices to be captured faster, since the system would also be used for payments. He said the provincial Treasury was looking at enhancing the system's network connectivity at all provincial offices, especially in rural areas. 'If a supplier does not have connectivity, the supplier will be able to go to a government office because the connectivity is going to be there in terms of uploading documents and checking what bids are available for quotations,' said Shezi.
IOL News
9 hours ago
- IOL News
How KwaZulu-Natal's new electronic procurement system will ensure timely payments and combat corruption
KwaZulu-Natal Finance MEC Francois Rodgers believed that the province's new e-Procurement system would be a game changer when it comes to the quick payment of service providers, ensuring that government departments do not procure without having money. Image: KZN Treasury Facebook With the introduction of the new Electronic Procurement System (e-Procurement) in the KwaZulu-Natal government, service providers will be paid without delays, while corruption gaps will be sealed. This was revealed when the KZN Finance Department's information technology specialist, Bongani Shezi, explained the system at a media briefing in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday. The National Treasury, which approved and adopted the system from the national Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE), will not pay for using it, but will only spend between R3 million and R5 million for set-up costs. The system would be fully implemented in the province between January 2026 and April 2027 through selected departments. Currently, KwaZulu-Natal will be the only province in the country to use it. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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The supply chain manager would then log into the system, which would automatically go to the central supplier database, which provides a list of companies that supply the required items. The system would ask the budget controller how much was available for the purchase, and it would do the quotation based on the available budget. 'The system would look at the commodity and select the suppliers, and if you want the item to be delivered in Mtubatuba (KwaZulu-Natal north coast), then it would pick suppliers around Mtubatuba,' said Shezi. He said the departments will use the system to appoint the bid evaluation committee members. 'When the documents are being evaluated, each one of them (members) would have to come into the system and do the scoring on the system, and based on the scoring, the system would then make a recommendation,' said Shezi. He said once the quotations come in, they get processed, and then the contract gets awarded automatically. 'The system would do your price because that's what comes in from quotation, depending on the service provider in terms of whether they are QSE (Qualifying Small Enterprise), rural, or township-based. 'It would then recommend the service provider, but if officials override the service provider and the system would ask, 'Why are you overriding this service provider that was recommended by the system?'' he said. Shezi said the signed contract with the start and end dates and contract amount, which would be compiled by the legal services, would be uploaded into the system. 'The end date is what the system uses to send emails to the supply chain managers to remind them that this contract is going to come to an end.' He said once the purchased items are delivered, the service provider submits an invoice, which will be captured by the system to track its movement from one person to another. He said the invoice would then go through the system to the responsible manager, who will authorise the payment. It would also go to the internal control manager, who must also check if the supporting documents are there, and then it goes to the supply chain manager, who would confirm that everything is captured correctly. Its last stop would be the finance for the release of the money to pay the service provider through the system. Shezi said someone would monitor the movement of the invoice because the government needed the invoices to be captured faster, since the system would also be used for payments. He said the provincial Treasury was looking at enhancing the system's network connectivity at all provincial offices, especially in rural areas. 'If a supplier does not have connectivity, the supplier will be able to go to a government office because the connectivity is going to be there in terms of uploading documents and checking what bids are available for quotations,' said Shezi.
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MaMkhize's luxury car collection to go under the hammer as Sars clamps down
Shauwn Mkhize whose assets, including fleet of cars, were confiscated by Sars during the raid earlier last week. South African businesswoman and reality TV star Shauwn 'MaMkhize' Mkhize is once again making headlines — this time over her flashy car collection, which is going up for auction next week as part of an ongoing legal battle with the South African Revenue Service. The vehicles, which include some of the world's most luxurious brands, are linked to unpaid taxes owed by her football club, Royal AM. A total of 13 high-end vehicles and a tour bus will be sold online through Bidders Choice. The auction will be open from 27 June until 2 July, giving car lovers and collectors a chance to bid on some truly rare finds. Anyone interested in placing a bid must first register and pay a R50 000 refundable registration fee. The cars can be viewed in person in Johannesburg or KwaZulu-Natal before the auction begins. Among the collection is a 2022 Mercedes-Benz S680 Maybach Edition 100, a vehicle so rare that only 100 units were produced globally. Similar models have been known to fetch upwards of R5 million at international auctions. This specific car still carries branding from Royal AM Football Club, the team Mkhize bought in 2021 and moved to KwaZulu-Natal from Bloemfontein, when it was still known as Bloemfontein Celtics. The auction also includes a 2020 Bentley Continental GTC, a car that easily commands a price tag of around R4 million. Another standout is the 2016 Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen with ONYX customisation, a model that could sell for more than R2 million depending on its condition. A 2022 BMW i7 xDrive 60, one of the latest electric sedans from BMW, is also up for grabs and typically sells for nearly R3 million. Other vehicles in the line-up include a 2018 Mercedes-Benz V-Class Maybach Bus, several BMWs, two Toyota Hilux bakkies, a Nissan NP300, and a Volkswagen Crafter. The luxury tour bus, a 2014 Mercedes-Benz Marcopolo G7, is also part of the sale. The vehicles are being auctioned as part of Sars's efforts to recover over R37 million in tax debt allegedly owed by Royal AM. The club was placed under curatorship last year, and the auction is one of the steps being taken to settle the outstanding tax liabilities. This comes just months after a failed deal to sell Royal AM to an investment company. According to court-appointed curator Jaco Venter, Global Investments was selected as the successful bidder earlier this year, but the agreement fell through when the company missed the payment deadline. Mkhize has not commented publicly on the auction, but Sars has made it clear that the move is part of a broader effort to clamp down on high-profile taxpayers who do not comply with the law. For now, the spotlight remains firmly on MaMkhize, whose once-celebrated lifestyle is being picked apart piece by piece.
