Keorapetse says they'll invoke Public International Law
Leader of Opposition Dithapelo Keorapetse has warned government that if it continues to condone corruption it will soon catch up with them in the international space under the Public International Law.
Under this law if a corrupt regime has borrowed funds, the debt is not enforceable. Keorapetse said this will be an illegitimate debt.
According to Keorapetse, the opposition need to emulate what non-governmental organisations did during the outbreak of COVID-19 when they reported African governments that wanted to borrow money from international financial institutions, expressing concern that such funds might not be used for the purported claim.
Keorapetse said as the opposition bloc they should document these corrupt dealings and take them to those international financial institutions where government intends to make such borrowing.
He said there is evidence that there is too much corruption especially in government procurement. Keorapetse, who is also Member of Parliament for Selibe-Phikwe West said it has shown that there are many projects that are being challenged before the Procurement Tribunal.
“This is because there is too much corruption, including the dual carriage lane between Game city and Boatle. There was change of Work and Scope where P300 million was used. The issue of changing Work and Scope cannot be allowed where money is diverted.
“Now there is no money to do the Mokolodi turn-off and the risk is that the contractor might take government to court,” said Keorapetse, when debating ministries Transitional National Development Plan.
He stated that in the Safer city project, the police wanted close tender but PPADB declined and called for open tender on grounds that P500 million cannot be spent on targeted companies when the project can be done by several companies.
“In April this year the mandate of PPADB was taken to ministries to do their own procurement. Then the police did selective bidding of nine companies for the tender.
“I can confirm that out of the nine companies, five of them are not in Grade E category as per the requirement of the tender. This is what happens in government tenders. How do you invite a company not in Grade E to
participate in Grade E tenders,” he wondered?
He further wondered where the P64 billion that is needed for the two-year Transitional National Development Plan will come from.
“What we have been saying is that we should tap locally in pensions and investment. What has been captured in the Auditor General report in the past is that implementation is nil under this government.
“Auditor General has stated that mega projects are not completed within budget, within schedule and completed with major structural defects. There is no implementation capacity”, Keorapetse said.
Under this law if a corrupt regime has borrowed funds, the debt is not enforceable. Keorapetse said this will be an illegitimate debt.
According to Keorapetse, the opposition need to emulate what non-governmental organisations did during the outbreak of COVID-19 when they reported African governments that wanted to borrow money from international financial institutions, expressing concern that such funds might not be used for the purported claim.
Keorapetse said as the opposition bloc they should document these corrupt dealings and take them to those international financial institutions where government intends to make such borrowing.
He said there is evidence that there is too much corruption especially in government procurement. Keorapetse, who is also Member of Parliament for Selibe-Phikwe West said it has shown that there are many projects that are being challenged before the Procurement Tribunal.
“This is because there is too much corruption, including the dual carriage lane between Game city and Boatle. There was change of Work and Scope where P300 million was used. The issue of changing Work and Scope cannot be allowed where money is diverted.
“Now there is no money to do the Mokolodi turn-off and the risk is that the contractor might take government to court,” said Keorapetse, when debating ministries Transitional National Development Plan.
He stated that in the Safer city project, the police wanted close tender but PPADB declined and called for open tender on grounds that P500 million cannot be spent on targeted companies when the project can be done by several companies.
“In April this year the mandate of PPADB was taken to ministries to do their own procurement. Then the police did selective bidding of nine companies for the tender.
“I can confirm that out of the nine companies, five of them are not in Grade E category as per the requirement of the tender. This is what happens in government tenders. How do you invite a company not in Grade E to
participate in Grade E tenders,” he wondered?
He further wondered where the P64 billion that is needed for the two-year Transitional National Development Plan will come from.
“What we have been saying is that we should tap locally in pensions and investment. What has been captured in the Auditor General report in the past is that implementation is nil under this government.
“Auditor General has stated that mega projects are not completed within budget, within schedule and completed with major structural defects. There is no implementation capacity”, Keorapetse said.
