An investigation into whether proper procurement procedures had been followed to upgrade security arrangements at President Jabob Zuma’s residence, Nkandla, found the supply chain management policy of the Department of Public Works was not fully complied with, Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi said in a press statement.
There was a breach of the allowance for a variation of 20 per cent compared with the initial procurement order.
Furthermore, an approval for the project was granted to a regional bid adjudication committee to adopt the process of appointing contractors carrying out security upgrades, despite it being a national project with responsibility for decisions taken at a national level.
While no public money had been used in the construction of Nkandla, the procurement of security, which is paid for from the public purse, was not conducted correctly, reported Nxesi.
Nxesi explained the findings of the report would be passed on to the relevant law enforcement agencies, with a view to investigating potentially criminal acts. If professionals or contractors are found to have acted unethically, they will be reported to their professional bodies, while the government will institute immediate disciplinary actions on officials found to have failed to follow the procedures.
