IN response to South Africa’s Finance Minister’s Budget Speech, Chris Campbell, CEO of Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA), echoes sentiments expressed by the minister regarding the need for tangible actions to bolster economic growth and address pressing issues faced by South Africans.
CESA welcomes government’s commitment to investing in infrastructure development. “We recognise the importance of government spending on infrastructure as a catalyst for economic growth and job creation. However, it is imperative that these funds are utilised efficiently and effectively to maximise
its impact on the nation’s development. CESA stands ready to collaborate with government entities to ensure that infrastructure projects are executed with transparency, accountability, and a focus on delivering value for money.”
While acknowledging the process being followed to strengthen the Public Procurement Bill, with provincial legislatures conducting nationwide public hearings, Campbell emphasises the need for detailed provisions that prioritise “value for money” and differentiate between strategic procurement principles for infrastructure. This needs to be reflected as markedly different from that of general goods and services.
“In an economy such as ours with insufficient financial resources to address the many infrastructure challenges we have, it is imperative that we expedite opportunities for public-private partnerships.
“It is important though, that in seeking to finalise the Public Procurement Bill, no sight is lost for the aspirations of enhanced fiscal efficiency to quote our Minister of Finance,” concludes Campbell.
