Mbabane. A submission to disqualify companies run by Consuls from participating in public procurement was thrown out of the window in parliament
This happens after some Cabinet Ministers and Attorney General (AG) Sifiso Khumalo made it known that Consuls were not politicians and, therefore, eligible to apply for tenders in the country.
Also in the same vein, MPs have voted to remove a recommendation by Ministry of Health portfolio committee to by straight from manufactures A recommendation in the Ministry of Health performance report to have government buying drugs straight from the supplier was voted against by members of the House of Assembly on Friday morning.
“The ministry of Health should procure drugs straight from the supplier on the green light of the World Health Organization,” read the recommendation.
Appointed Member of Parliament Tsembeni Magongo motivated that the middleman in the procurement of drugs must be removed for efficiency and transparency purposes.
All these comes following the alarming shortage of drugs in public hospitals and the investigation of one of government suppliers Swazi Pharm which is under the directorship Indonesia Consular Kareem Ashraf.
Nkwene MP Sikhumbuzo Dlamini who is also the minister of Tinkhundla Administration and Development argued that the Consular was not a politician but rather a businessman when responding to Nkilongo MP Petros Sibandze’s question on the eligibility of the Indonesian to do business with government.
Lobamba MP Michael Masilela warned on the legal implications the House might find itself in and jobs many Emaswati might lose in letting government buy straight from manufactures. By popular vote, the House of Assembly approved that government must continue to use third party companies in the procurement of drugs.
In a statement by Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo on Thursday, Government stated categorically clear that it never had problems with working with Swazi Pharm as the supplier of drugs.
“Even through the difficult period of drug shortages in Government hospitals, Swazi Pharm continued and is does today, to supply Government with drugs irrespective of some accumulative unpaid invoices,” Nxumalo said.
Nxumalo continued that Swazi Pharm has never been a subject of investigations on its dealings with government.
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