DIS secret procurement worries Mokgware
Pini Bothoko | Wednesday March 1, 2017 16:37
Mokgware stated that the procurement is done secretly, something they fear might engender corruption. He was commenting on the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration budget proposal presented by its Minister, Eric Molale.
The retired Major General said it is of concern that every year millions of pula are budgeted for procurement of DIS equipment and that the procurement is not open.
“I am worried that millions of pula are budgeted every year to be used for procurement of DIS equipment, but this is shrouded in secrecy. We do not know if that money is truly used for DIS equipment or for something else because the procurement is not open,” Mokgware said.
He called for the procurement to be open so that the public could know that Government resources are not misused.
“I agree that the procurement of some equipment should be conducted in secret for the country’s security, but there are some ordinary equipment whose procurement should be a little bit open, so that it cannot be open to abuse by those responsible for their procurement”.
Mokgware stated that they needed transparency because in the past they have heard and read reports that some equipment was not procured appropriately. He said he could have been happy if a larger budget could have been allocated to the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) than the DIS.
The Mogoditshane legislator, Sedirwa Kgoroba shared the same sentiments saying there was need for the procurement of some equipment to be open. Kgoroba suggested that the opposition parties could have been the ones supervising the procurement of DIS equipment not the ruling party.
“This gives room for corruption because these are the same people who have appointed them,” Kgoroba said.
In response, Molale said one of the country’s priorities was consolidation of good governance and strengthening of the national security, hence the need for larger budget in that area.
Molale said the budget is earmarked to strengthen the DIS by way of improving communications, infrastructure, purchase of equipment and vehicles. He said ever since the DIS was introduced it has been doing a good job and continued to do so in the provision of the country’s security.
“Giving DIS more funds is not a waste. You can all agree with me that they have been doing a good job and continue to do so and that is because of the availability of resources,” Molale said. He stated that procurement is done within the law as the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board (PPADB) were involved for the every step taken.
“There is a Parliament committee that deals with DIS, but opposition MPs decided to resign from the committee after they had pre-judged the situation, stating that some people were involved, hence influencing the DIS decisions.”