26 Feb 2017

Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board (PPADB) executive chairperson, Ms Bridget John says they appreciate and respects the role of media.

In her welcome remarks at a media capacity building workshop recently, Ms John said that was why it was necessary for PPABD to empower the media with information on public procurement so that they can effectively play the role of watchdog for the greater good of the society and assist the board in educating the public.

"It is the expectation of the Board that constant interaction with the media should improve public education and confidence in the public procurement system," she said.

She noted that an informed media promoted good governance and accountability as it put out information in the public domain on the good and the not so good while also identifying areas requiring improvement for the wellbeing of the nation.

“The media that is not impartial may be of little benefit to society and may be vulnerable to manipulation, by that pushing self- interest,” said Ms John.

She said if members of the media and the public believed that existing measures intended to curb situations of conflict of interest in procurement were not adequate, the board thus needed to have constructive engagement to close any perceived loopholes, because it was important for the public to have confidence in the public procurement system and have it insulated against those with an appetite for corruption.

PPADB’s primary mandate, she said was to adjudicate and award tenders for central government and any other institution specified under the PPAD Act for the delivery of works, services and supplies.
For her part, PPADB capacity building coordinator, Ms Lady Botlhole noted that PPADB and Ministerial Tender Committees  (MTCs) together with District Adjudication Tender Committees (DATCs) provided procurement procedures and may also advise on appropriate procurement method to be followed.

Ms Botlhole said procurement methods included open bidding, restricted bidding, quotations proposals procurement, micro procurement and direct procurement, and all these methods are available for works and services which include consultancy and supplies.

For his part, Editors’ Forum chairperson, Mr Spencer Mogapi said journalists had to fully understand the processes and cycles of public procurement before they could write stories and both the editors and reporters need to understand how PPADB works.

Mr Mogapi urged journalists to embrace the opportunity of having a workshop with PPADB as they will have a clear understanding of how it operates. ENDS