The Democratic Alliance (DA) has urged Transport Minister Barbara Creecy to publicly disclose the total particulars concerning the irregularities within the R898 million tender for driver’s licence card machines.
The tender was awarded to French firm Idemia Security in 2024 which sparked an outrage together with from political events. Earlier this week, Creecy confirmed that the Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke identified several irregularities in the tender evaluation process which prompted her [Creecy] to strategy the High Court for a readability order.
ROLL OUT OF SA’S NEW DRIVER’S LICENCE CARD HITS ANOTHER SNAG
In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Creecy stated that the Department of Transport has not spent any cash to roll out the brand new driver’s licences and that if her Department have been to take action, it might be classed as irregular expenditure as a result of inconsistencies discovered within the tender course of, TopAuto reported.
She emphasised that the Public Finance Management Act makes it an offence for an accounting officer to authorise spending the place the AG is indicating that there’s irregularity.
The DA stated the Auditor-General’s full report on this situation has not been made public, and with out its launch, the foundation reason behind the intense procurement non-compliance stays hid and can’t be correctly addressed.
The occasion’s spokesperson on Transport, Chris Hunsinger stated it’s effectively and good that Creecy has taken the tender contract to court docket for a declaratory order, however that can solely deal with the procedural irregularities or legalities of the tip contract, and won’t take care of why such a vital tender needed to be turned over to the Auditor-General for investigation within the first place.
Hunsinger stated the DA requires the total report of the Auditor-General, not only a abstract, to be made public by Minister Creecy, in order that the total details may be recognized and may be acted upon.
“The points within the driving license card machines tender clearly point out systemic mismanagement and corruption plaguing the Department of Transport for years, which have to be addressed.
“The driving license card issue is not an isolated incident, but yet another example of the inefficiencies and failures that have caused significant delays and frustration within the country’s licensing system. Creecy must take South Africa into her confidence and disclose the root cause of the tender issue: Who and what caused the serious procurement non-compliance, and what irregularities were found to have occurred?”
WHY HAS THE ROLL OUT BEEN DELAYED?
As previously reported by The South African, on 30 August 2022, Cabinet gave the Department of Transport the go-ahead to produce a new driving licence card for the country.
The Department then started its first try and supply a service supplier to ship a turnkey resolution.
The above bid was marketed on 10 November 2022. This bid course of was unsuccessful, so it was re-advertised on 5 April 2023.
In August 2024, Idemia Identity and Security was awarded the tender and the next month, Creecy instructed the AG to probe the analysis course of. As issues stand, the method to roll out new driver’s licence playing cards is more likely to be placed on maintain.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE DELAY IN ROLLING OUT THE NEW DRIVER’S LICENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA?
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