Is the Northern Trade Fair losing its lustre?
Friday, June 03, 2022 | 620 Views |
Passing through: School children comprised the majority of visitors to the recent
Northern Trade Fair PIC: LESEDI MKHUTSHWA
When the business lobby group established the fair in 1994, the rationale was to provide exhibitors with a platform to actively promote their businesses and network amongst each other.
During its formative years, the fair served as a platform for quality engagement among participants from the private sector and helped them remain connected with each other. Key players in the private sector regularly featured at the event.
Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...