The Democratic Alliance (DA) will report to the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) to investigate a questionable tender awarded by the Gauteng Department of Community Safety for the procurement of 124 pistols at an exorbitant R9.7 million amounting to an average of R78 000 per pistol.
This contract seems irregular since the pistol price is higher than the market price and there has been at least R58 000 overspent on every pistol if the department went for the highest end of these pistols.
This information was revealed in the department’s annual report for the 2023/2024 financial year.
The DA questions the department’s decision to award this tender, which was meant to help someone make money. Furthermore, there appears to have been a collusion in the awarding of this tender, which should be urgently investigated.
The decision to allocate such a significant amount of money to procure firearms is perplexing, especially considering that Gauteng, a crime-ridden province, has only 143 police stations responsible for the safety of over 16 million people. Many of these stations lack adequate resources, such as police vehicles and bulletproof vests, and are poorly maintained, understaffed, and underfunded.
The Department of Community Safety, like the Gauteng Department of Social Development (GDSD), has become a platform through which money is being funnelled for other purposes than service delivery.
The money wasted on pistols could have been better spent addressing fundamental policing issues. Premier Panyaza Lesufi has consistently made bold promises in his State of the Province Addresses, claiming that crime is a top priority through a five-year Gauteng Policing Plan that aims to enhance resources for police stations. However, the awarding of this tender appears to be a step in the opposite direction.
What is clear is that the Gauteng Provincial Government is corrupt to the core.
The DA will on Tuesday, 29 October 2024, refer the matter to the SIU for an investigation and for the money to be recouped.
It is concerning and suspicious that the price of a single pistol has skyrocketed to R78 000, especially considering that the average price for such firearms typically ranges between R15 000 and R20 000. This drastic price warrants an investigation, as it smells of corruption.
A DA government would spend taxpayers’ money on resourcing our police stations and ensuring that law enforcement agencies are adequately trained and equipped to deal with crime in the province. The rising crime rates in our province indicate that the fundamentals of policing are being overlooked, allowing criminals to flourish in our communities rather than suggesting a gun shortage among the police.
The DA will closely monitor the awarding of this tender and hold the government accountable for its spending, we believe Gauteng taxpayers’ money should be used effectively to ensure value for money.