In 1994, after the end of apartheid, the South African government initiated reforms to address socio-economic challenges, focusing on improving public finance management. One key reform was the introduction of a new approach to procurement and supply chain management (SCM), aimed at ensuring efficient resource use and meeting citizens' needs. Previously, public sector procurement was governed by outdated rules that prioritised the lowest price, lacked integration with budgeting and failed to address broader strategic goals. To rectify this, a new SCM Policy Framework for Public Sector Procurement in South Africa, was introduced on 10 September 2003 to standardise and improve the consistency of procurement practices across the public sector. Despite these reforms, issues like fraud and corruption persist, primarily due to weak controls and poor procurement management.
The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of the current control and oversight mechanisms in place in promoting and enforcing ethical conduct within procurement processes and to explore the underlying reasons for non-compliance with the legislative and regulatory framework guiding procurement processes. The literature reviewed in the study explored various control and oversight measures designed to ensure ethical conduct in procurement processes; procurement processes in the public sector; challenges faced when procuring goods and services; ethical conduct in the public service; causes of unethical behaviour; ethical dilemmas in procurement processes as well as measures to ensure ethical conduct. The theories of ethics were used to explain the motivations behind an individual's actions and describe the characteristics that define a virtuous person. The literature further examined the legislative and regulatory framework that guides procurement processes in the South African public sector.
The study was conducted using a qualitative research method. Data was collected through document analysis and interviews with demand and acquisition management, asset management and project management sections at the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality. The findings of the study show that, internal controls at the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality are not functioning effectively, resulting in deficiencies. The study also revealed that there was non-compliance with SCM legislation and SCM regulations at the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality. The proposed conceptual framework may enhance the effectiveness of control and oversight measures to ensure ethical conduct in procurement processes, ultimately leading to improved service delivery and reduced risks of corruption and misconduct. The current study contributes to the existing body of knowledge on weak internal controls and increased ethical risks in public procurement, demonstrating how recurring deficiencies enable non-compliance and misconduct. Additionally, the findings of this study contribute to the existing body of knowledge on oversight failures and persistent audit issues which signal deeper cultural resistance to reform.
Ngo 1994, emva kokuphela kocalucalulo, urhulumente woMzantsi Afrika waphumeza uhlaziyo lokulungisa imingeni yezentlalo noqoqosho, kugxilwe ngakumbi ekuphuculeni ulawulo lwemali yoluntu. Olunye uhlaziyo olubalulekileyo yayikukwaziswa kwendlela entsha yokuthengwa kweempahla neenkonzo kunye nolawulo lwekhonkco lonikezelo (SCM), eyayijolise ekukhuthazeni ukusetyenziswa kwezixhobo ngokufanelekileyo nasekuzalisekiseni iimfuno zabemi boMzantsi Afrika. Ngaphambili, ukuthengwa kweempahla neenkonzo kwicandelo likarhulumente kwakulawulwa yimigaqo ephelelwe lixesha eyayibeka phambili ixabiso eliphantsi, ingenandibaniselwano nohlahlo-lwabiwo-mali, kwaye isilela ingazixhasi iinjongo ezibanzi zesicwangciso qhinga. Ukulungisa le miba, iNkqubosikhokelo yoMgaqonkqubo weSCM wokuThengwa kweMpahla neNkonzo kwiCandelo loLuntu eMzantsi Afrika yaziswa ngomhla we10 kweyoMsintsi 2003, ukuze kumiselwe imigangatho nokuphuculwa kokungaguquguquki kweendlela zokuthengwa kweempahla neenkonzo kulo lonke icandelo likarhulumente. Nangona olu hlaziyo lwenziwayo nje, imingeni efana nobuqhophololo norhwaphilizo isaqhubeka, ikakhulu ngenxa yolawulo olubuthathaka kunye nolawulo olulambathayo lokuthengwa kweempahla neenkonzo.
Injongo yesi sifundo sophando, ibikukuhlola ukusebenza kolawulo olukhoyo kunye neendlela zokongamela ekukhuthazeni nasekunyanzeliseni indlela yokuziphatha ngokweenqubo ezisesikweni kwiinkqubo zokuthengwa kwempahla neenkonzo, nokuphanda izizathu eziyingcambu zokungathotyelwa kwesikhokelo esingumgaqo nkqubo womthetho, nemimiselo esisikhokelo esilawula ukuthengwa kweempahla neenkonzo. Uncwadi oluhlaziywe kolu phando, luhlolisise amanyathelo ahlukeneyo okulawula kunye nokongamela okwenzelwe ukuqinisekisa ukuziphatha okufanelekileyo kwiinkqubo zokuthenga; iinkqubo zokuthengwa kwempahla karhulumente; imingeni ekujongenwe nayo xa kuthengwa iimpahla neenkonzo; ukuziphatha okungafanelekanga kwinkonzo karhulumente; izizathu zokuziphatha kakubi; iimeko ezohlukeneyo zokuziphatha kwiinkqubo zokuthenga; kunye namanyathelo okuqinisekisa ukuziphatha okufanelekileyo. Kusetyenziswe iithiyori zokuziphatha ukuchaza izizathu ezikhuthaza indlela abantu abaziphatha ngayo kunye neempawu zomntu oziphethe kakuhle. Uncwadi luqhubeleke lwahlola umgaqonkqubo womthetho nemimiselo elawula iinkqubo zokuthengwa kweempahla neenkonzo kwicandelo likarhulumente eMzantsi Afrika.
Esi sifundo sophando sisebenzise indlela yokuphanda ngeenkcukacha magama (qualitative research approach) ukufumana ulwazi. Idatha iqokelelwe ngohlalutyo lwamaxwebhu kunye nodliwanondlebe nabasebenzi abavela kulawulo lwemfuno nokuthengwa, ulawulo lwempahla kunye namacandelo olawulo lweprojekthi kuMasipala weNgingqi iRaymond Mhlaba. Iziphumo zibonise ukuba ulawulo lwangaphakathi kulo masipala alusebenzi kakuhle, nto leyo ekhokelela kwiziphene nokusilela. Uphando lutyhile ukungathotyelwa komthetho nemimiselo yeSCM kulo masipala. Ze emva koko, wanikwa ingcebiso yokwenza umgaqo sikhokhelo ngenjongo yokuphucula ukusebenza kweendlela zolawulo kunye nemilinganiselo yokongamela kunye nokukhuthaza ukuziphatha okufanelekileyo kwiinkqubo zokuthengwa kweempahla neenkonzo, nto leyo eya kuthi ekugqibeleni ikhokelele ekuphuculweni kokunikezelwa kwenkonzo kunye nokunciphisa imingcipheko yorhwaphilizo nokuziphatha gwenxa. Olu phando longeza kulwazi osele lukhona malunga nolawulo lwangaphakathi olubuthathaka kunye nokwanda kwemingcipheko yokuziphatha kwiinkqubo zokuthengwa kweempahla neenkonzo zikawonkewonke, lubonisa indlela ukusilela neziphene eziphindaphindiweyo ezivumela ngayo ukungathotyelwa nokuziphatha gwenxa. Ngaphezu koko, iziphumo zonyusa ulwazi olukhoyo malunga nokusilela kolongamelo kunye nemiba yophicothozincwadi eqhubekayo ebonisa ukuxhathisa okunzulu kokungafuni ukwamkela utshintsho.
In 1994, na die einde van apartheid, het die Suid-Afrikaanse regering hervormings geïmplementeer om die sosio-ekonomiese uitdagings die hoof te bied met spesifieke fokus op die verbetering van openbare finansiesbestuur. ’n Belangrike hervorming was die bekendstelling van ’n nuwe benadering tot verkryging en aanbodkettingbestuur (AKB), wat gemik is op die bevordering van doeltreffende hulpbronbenutting en die voorsiening van burgers se behoeftes. Openbare sektor-verkryging is voorheen deur verouderde reëls beheer wat die laagste prys geprioritiseer het, wat geen begrotingsintegrasie gehad het nie, en wat nie breër strategiese doelwitte ondersteun het nie. Ten einde hierdie kwessies reg te stel, is die Beleidsraamwerk vir Aanbodkettingbestuur (AKB) op 10 September 2003 in die openbare sektor van Suid-Afrika ingestel om verkrygingspraktyke regoor die openbare sektor te standaardiseer en die konsekwentheid daarvan te verbeter. Ten spyte van hierdie hervormings duur uitdagings soos bedrog en korrupsie voort, hoofsaaklik as gevolg van swak beheermaatreëls en gebrekkige verkrygingsbestuur.
Die doel van hierdie studie was om die doeltreffendheid van huidige beheer- en toesigmeganismes in die bevordering en afdwinging van etiese gedrag in verkrygingsprosesse te evalueer, en om ondersoek in te stel na die onderliggende redes vir nie-nakoming van die wetgewende en regulatoriese raamwerk wat as riglyn vir verkryging dien. Die literatuuroorsig van die studie het verskeie beheer- en toesigmaatreëls ondersoek wat ontwerp is om etiese gedrag in verkrygingsprosesse te verseker; verkrygingsprosesse in die openbare sektor; uitdagings wat ervaar word tydens die verkryging van goedere en dienste; etiese gedrag in die openbare diens; oorsake van onetiese gedrag; etiese dilemmas in verkrygingsprosesse; en maatreëls om etiese gedrag te verseker. Etiekteorieë is toegepas om individue se motiverings en die eienskappe van ’n deugsame persoon te verduidelik. Die literatuur het verder ook die wetgewende en regulatoriese raamwerk ondersoek wat verkrygingsprosesse binne die Suid-Afrikaanse openbare sektor beheer.
Die navorser het ’n kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering vir die studie gekies. Data is deur middel van dokumentanalise en onderhoude met personeel van vraag- en verkrygingsbestuur, batebestuur sowel as die projekbestuurafdeling van die Raymond Mhlaba Plaaslike Munisipaliteit ingesamel. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat die interne beheermaatreëls van die munisipaliteit nie doeltreffend funksioneer nie en dus ontoereikendheid veroorsaak. Die studie het ook nie-nakoming van AKB-wetgewing en -regulasies by die munisipaliteit aan die lig gebring. ’n Konseptuele raamwerk is voorgestel met die oog op die verbetering van die doeltreffendheid van beheer- en toesigmaatreëls en die bevordering van etiese gedrag in verkrygingsprosesse, wat uiteindelik lei tot verbeterde dienslewering en verminderde risiko’s van korrupsie en wangedrag. Hierdie studie dra by tot die bestaande kennisbasis oor swak interne beheer en verhoogde etiese risiko’s in openbare verkryging, deur aan te toon hoe herhalende tekortkominge nie-nakoming en wangedrag moontlik maak. Verder dra die bevindinge by tot die bestaande kenniskorpus oor toesigversuim en volgehoue ouditkwessies wat op ’n dieper kulturele weerstand teen hervorming dui.
