Cape Town Mayor says bill impedes the ability to respond swiftly to local needs by introducing more red tape
Cape Town urges President Ramaphosa to reconsider Public Procurement Bill
8 August 2024
In a letter to the President, Mayor Hill-Lewis said the City will have no option but to launch a constitutional challenge if the Bill is gazetted in its current form.
‘This Bill allows direct interference in municipal procurements by Provincial Treasuries and a new national Public Procurement Office, who will be empowered to dictate instructions to municipalities without proper cooperative governance arrangements or consultation. This is unconstitutional, and undermines local government autonomy and direct accountability to serving residents.
‘At a local level, we often have to procure fast to respond to urgent water, sanitation, electrical, waste, and environmental issues. But this Bill impedes the ability to respond swiftly to local needs by introducing more red tape to complicate procurements. This inefficiency will have a direct impact on service delivery to residents,’ said Mayor Hill-Lewis.
The City has wide-ranging concerns about new red tape introduced in the Bill, including:
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