Minister Masutha refutes News24 claims of an order from the Finance Minister

21 May 2016

The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Adv. Michael Masutha, has noted with great concern the inaccurate reporting by News24, stating that he has been ordered by the Minister of Finance, Mr Pravin Gordhan to cancel the Integrated Inmate Management System Contract, as reported on 20 May 2016.  

In as much as Minister Masutha confirmed that there were concerns raised in the letter from Minister Gordhan, but nowhere does it order the Minister to cancel the contract. The letter merely contained advice not an order as reported.

It has to be noted that Minister Masutha responded to the letter in April 2016, wherein he 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.

Statement issued by Adv. Mthunzi Mhaga, Department of Justice and Correctional Services, 23 May 2016