South Africa’s (SA) Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has revealed that only 18 companies have been barred from doing business with the state, despite the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) recommending action against nearly 400 firms implicated in procurement-related wrongdoing.
Godongwana disclosed the figure in a written response to a parliamentary question from ActionSA member of parliament Alan Beesley. The reply has reignited debate over government’s commitment to tackling corruption and enforcing accountability.
Earlier this year, a Presidency report to Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts indicated that the SIU had identified hundreds of individuals and companies that should be blacklisted for irregular conduct linked to state contracts.
Beesley has criticised the limited number of blacklisted entities, arguing that it reflects a lack of political will to act decisively against corruption. He warned that the failure to implement the SIU’s recommendations allows implicated companies and individuals to continue trading with government, undermining efforts to combat state capture and related scandals.
–ChannelAfrica–
