Municipal Compliance with the Tender Procurement Process: A Case of Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality

Abstract

Supply Chain Management is ultimately concerned with maximising affordability and value for money in the process of procurement and disposal of the assets of institutions (Moeti, 2017:148). Moreover, the Municipal Supply Chain Management Regulations set the minimum standard to which all municipalities must adhere, regarding the procurement processes (Dobie and Xinwa, 2015:7). However, it is argued that corruption is found in procurement transactions more than anywhere else, as the opportunities to engage in corrupt practices are greatest and where the rewards of corruption are often high (Mantzaris, 2014:67); this elucidates the impression that there are challenges within the procedures of the procurement process. To further clarify on this, an indication of challenges within the procedures of procurement was exposed by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, where the Deputy Director of Supply Chain Management at the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality was arrested. The arrest followed an investigation by members of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s National Clean Audit Task Team into fraud and corruption regarding R430M Durban Solid Waste (DSW) tender saga (Singh, 2020). This study investigates how compliance with the tender procurement process is maintained within the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality, as required by the Municipal Supply Chain Management Regulations of 2005. The purpose of the study was to enable the researcher to determine the necessary interventions required to improve compliance utilising the Resource Based View Theory. The study is embedded in qualitative research approach and employed interview questions and document analysis as instruments to collect data. The research findings implied that Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality does maintain compliance with the tender procurement process; however, it has been noted that the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality encounters challenges of ambiguity of roles, lack of skills and knowledge, professionalism and ethics, inducements, high vacancy rate, oppression, IT systems, compliance monitoring, wasteful expenditure, and political interference.