Minister refutes media report on prison contract

Sunday, May 22, 2016

Pretoria - Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha has noted with great concern the inaccurate reporting by News24 stating that he has been ordered by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan to cancel the Integrated Inmate Management System contract as reported on Friday. 

In that regard, the department wishes to set the record straight that Minister Masutha confirmed that there were concerns raised in the letter from Minister Gordhan, but nowhere did it ordered the Minister to cancel the contract. 

“The letter merely contained advice not an order as reported,” the department said in a statement on Saturday.

According to the department, Minister Masutha responded to the letter in April 2016.

In the letter, Minister Masutha stated the following:

  • The Auditor General is in the process of auditing the procurement process of the above- mentioned contract at the request of the Accounting Officer on 8 February 2016.
  • It would thus be premature to take any action as this matter is still a subject of an ongoing audit.

“What is also important to highlight is that the successful bidder has since approached the court, and therefore, this matter is now subject to a judicial determination by the court of law.

“It is quite disheartening and somehow condescending that such an insinuation could be made, where one Cabinet Minister could be instructed or ordered by his colleague to cancel a contract under his administration,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za