Procurement Tsar secures huge State fixed line savings – billions more where that came from

By Alec Hogg

Controversial Zuma acolyte Jimmy Manyi, branded by the EFF as “a Gupta agent”, is an outspoken critic of SA National Treasury’s Procurement office established in 2013. Given the record of his puppeteers, it’s easy to understand why.

Manyi is their rather blunt instrument who slashes away at anyone opposing the Gupta agenda of pillage and plunder. His targets include from Finmins Trevor Manuel, Nhlanhla Nene and Pravin Gordhan through to former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela.

Thankfully his attack on SA’s Chief Procurement Officer Kenneth Brown, was firmly and rapidly dispatched by the Treasury. Brown repaid some of that confidence yesterday by securing a deal on fixed line telecom services with the BCX division of Telkom.

It will take “hundreds of millions of rand” off the State’s R2.2bn a year fixed line services bill. Brown has been looking for a total of R400m a year from telecoms costs, and has the R800m spent on mobile in his sights.

Yesterday’s deal fulfils the lion’s share of that promise. And it is only the start. Brown is tasked with securing savings of a staggering R25bn a year by 2019. That’s only 5% of the R500bn procurement pie that’s now under his watch. But it is also certain to panic tenderpreneurs and spark further outrage from Manyi.

With the fixed line deal done and dusted, next in line is the R10bn a year travel costs; with State spending on construction and technology next, followed by its property leases. Brown is about to become even less popular among crony capitalists. Taxpayers, however, have a new hero.

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