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30 January 2025
Press Statement from Al Jama-ah: Cllr Advocate Yusuf Khan Dalwai Calls for Urgent Amendments to the City of Cape Town’s Supply Chain Management Policy
Cape Town – Today, during the City of Cape Town’s ordinary council meeting, Cllr Advocate Yusuf Khan Dalwai of Al Jama-ah raised critical concerns regarding discrepancies in Clause 330 of the City’s Supply Chain Management (SCM) Policy. The clause in question grants the City Manager the authority to condone breaches in the procurement of goods and services, a power which has been further delegated to the Bid Adjudication Committee.
Cllr Yusuf Dalwai sharply highlighted the lack of clarity in the policy regarding what constitutes a “technical breach,” leading to potential misuse and risks to the city’s procurement integrity. In his address, Cllr Dalwai called for immediate amendments to the relevant sections of the SCM Policy to ensure greater transparency and accountability in the City’s procurement processes. His proposed amendments include:
- Explicit Definition of a Technical Breach –
The policy must clearly define what constitutes a technical breach, removing any ambiguity in its interpretation. - Introduction of Financial Thresholds –
Clear financial thresholds must be established for what can be considered a minor breach, to prevent significant financial losses from being misclassified as technical breaches. - Detailed Reporting on Breaches –
All ratified breaches must be thoroughly reported, with a clear assessment of their financial and operational impacts. Transparency is crucial to maintaining public trust in the procurement system. - Address Systemic Gaps –
The City must acknowledge and address the systemic gaps that allow breaches to occur. There must be a renewed commitment to strengthening oversight mechanisms that protect the integrity of our procurement processes.
Cllr Dalwai’s comments come on the back of the recent raid by the Hawks, which has put the DA-led administration and the Mayoral Committee (Mayco) under intense scrutiny. As responsible public representatives, we have a fiduciary duty to protect the interests of the Council and its constituents. It is imperative that we take swift and decisive action to rectify the weaknesses in the current procurement policy, ensuring that the City operates with the highest levels of integrity.
We stand committed to supporting efforts that will strengthen the City’s procurement processes, safeguard taxpayer money, and restore public trust in our governance systems, therefore Al
Jama-ah in the City of Cape Town attended today’s council meeting to provide constructive input where it matters, rather than boycotting the session and making noise on social media.
Issued by:
Cllr Advocate Yusuf Khan Dalwai Al Jama-ah – City of Cape Town
30 January 2025
For further information, please contact:
Nisa Hendricks
(National Media and Marketing)
082 613 1917