From 1 April this year, all companies that intend to do business with government will need to be registered on the government’s central supplier database.
Finance minister Pravin Gordhan on Wednesday said transparency with government tenders had improved significantly since the inception of the eTenders Portal last year.
This year it would be compulsory for state departments to procure goods and services through the so-called gCommerce portal — a system whereby orders were automated, which would allow for bulk discounts.
The automation process was expected to reduce corruption, as people wouldn’t be able to override the right protocols.
In addition, a centralised travel and accommodation portal would be launched for all public servants who needed to travel for work — an intervention Gordhan believed would save R1,6bn over the medium term.