28 Nov 2022

GSince the implementation of the Public Procurement Act of 2021, the Ministry of Health has awarded tenders worth  over P800 million.

Responding during Minister’s question time Assistant Minister of Health Mr Setlhomo Lelatisitswe said where there were no citizen-owned companies that manufactured or supplied the required goods, the ministry had procured from non-citizen companies.

He said some companies that the ministry purchased from were either distributors, agents or manufacturers.

He said the proportion that went to Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital was 24 per cent for personal protective equipment, five per cent for medicines and 96 per cent for Spirits while 12.9 per cent was for biomedical equipment, re-agents, and X-ray films.

Over and above that Mr Lelatisitswe said, 66.31 per cent was used on non-citizen-owned companies where equipment needed was not available within the country.

“It should be noted that government directed through statutory instrument No 23 that all works, supplies and services up to the sum of P10million issued by government, state-owned enterprises or any entities falling within section 8 of the Act shall be reserved for 100 per cent citizen owned small, medium and micro enterprises with a maximum annual turnover not exceeding P10 million,” he said.

He said the ministry was implementing this instrument except in cases where the citizen companies were not readily able to supply. He said tenders above P10m were open to both citizen and non-citizen-owned enterprises.

Mr Lelatisitswe said government strived to give priority to local manufacturers/ distributors to promote empowerment. He said the use of foreign companies would mainly be to mitigate an urgent situation where a product  was unavailable locally.

He said some services could not be sourced from 100 per cent citizen owned as they had not ventured into yet hence engagement of non-citizen manufacturers.

He said a handful of tenders were awarded to non-citizens for infant formula, reason being main tender was unsuccessful due to complaints received that delayed the procurement process, ultimately affecting the outcome of the tender which led to its expiry.

Kanye North MP Mr Thapelo Letsholo had wanted to know how much had been awarded to citizen-owned companies versus non-citizens since the new procurement law and in respect of the ministry’s procurement tenders to date.

He had also asked why the ministry continued to award tenders to distributors and agents who were not 100 per cent Batswana companies and when the practice was going to end. ENDs