The South African government has officially cancelled the much-delayed public-private partnership (PPP) procurement process for four new prisons, which would have added 3 000 additional bed spaces at the Paarl, East London, Nigel and Klerksdorp correctional centres.
The procurement process was initiated in October 2003 when a transaction advisory team was appointed to study the feasibility of delivering the facilities in partnership with the private sector.
The request for qualifications were released in October 2007 and the final tender on September 30, 2008. The bids were submitted in May 2009.
However, Correctional Services Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, who took over the position in May 2009, instituted a policy and operational review, during which the bids were "not opened or evaluated" and were kept in a secure facility.
Mapisa-Nqakula said the review highlighted a number of financial and operational problems with the PPP model, including the fact that it conflicted with policy stipulating that security and custodial services of the State not be handed over the third parties.
In case you were considering bidding for this. The fact that these processes cannot be handed over to the private sector/third parties might be something that Pierre de Vos could consider discussing on his blog.
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