• The department is working to find a legal process to implement the expected “Contractor Development Programme”. Our commitment is to ensure that whilst we respond to any resolutions these must be legalised through a due legal process that conforms to the procurement legislation of our country.
• As the Department of Health, we received the request to assist the process of CDP but it must be understood that many of our infrastructure projects and other projects where these contractors could be placed were already in the running when this CDP process was brought to us to assist. We cannot as a department just abruptly change processes but we need time to adjust, plan and accommodate changes in such a way that we can be able to prudently account for any decisions that we take.
• It is unfortunate that the contractors do not seem to want to understand our side of the value chain of accountability. It cannot be that the department will be pressured to take decisions.
• The contractors need to understand that all decisions need to be subject to a litmus test of legality, equity, fairness and those who must take these decisions must account.
• In the light of the above, the contractors can expect that the department can come back to them, after careful consideration of all the implications and compliance with all legalities, with a response that details how the department may or may not meet their expectations.
• It should also be noted that this process requires a mutual respect of the rights, responsibilities and obligations of all parties and this can be achieved by mutual engagement, which the department is calling for.
Issued by Free State Department of Health Communications. Further enquiries may be directed to Mondli Mvambi, Spokesperson: Free State Department of Health, 082 043 3744
