Dept Seeks Declaratory Order for Irregular Tender in Driving Licence Card Machine Procurement

Pretoria: The Department of Transport is seeking a declaratory order from the high court following allegations of irregularities in the tender process for the Driving Licence Card Machine. The tender involved the technical evaluation and site visits conducted by the Driving Licence Card Account (DLCA). During these site visits, the DLCA was expected to verify that the proposed MX8100 machine by the bidder, IDEMIA, met the necessary capacity and capability requirements. However, the DLCA inspected an unrelated machine instead. According to South African Government News Agency, the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) highlighted deviations from bid specifications and the use of ambiguous criteria, which compromised the fairness and transparency of the procurement process. The department, acknowledging the findings of the AGSA, stated that such irregularities in the tender process and violations of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) could not be ignored. The department emphasized that under section 81 (1) of the PFMA, an accounting officer who willfully or negligently permits unauthorized, irregular, or wasteful expenditure commits financial misconduct. In response to the AGSA audit report, Minister Creecy has directed the department to file a high court application for a declaratory order. This order seeks guidance on how to proceed in light of the audit findings and to ensure accountability and transparency in the procurement process.