An investigation of factors and challenges influencing non-compliance with procurement guidelines within the KZN Department of Health

Abstract

Despite the reforms and employment of Supply Chain Management (SCM) as a strategic tool, South Africa is still facing enormous challenges in its procurement practices. The country is hugely affected by a critical situation of non-compliance with the legislative frameworks governing public procurement and contract administration, which conveys significant costs to the government and the community as taxpayers. Particularly, the Head office supply chain management directorate and hospitals within eThekwini District in the Kwa-Zulu Natal province have been experiencing enormous problems aligned to non-compliance with the public procurement and contract management guidelines. This paper examines the factors influencing non-compliance with procurement practices within the Kwa-Zulu Natal Department of Health. Mixed methods facilitated the process of data collection and analysis by combining both qualitative and quantitative techniques to identify factors and challenges influencing non-compliance with procurement guidelines within the KZN Department of Health, as well as to identify incurring irregular expenditure on procurement and contract management following non-compliance with procurement guidelines. This study revealed that the unavailability of SCM staffing norms, shortage of staff, lack of supervision, shortage of skills, unavailability of modern technology, negligence, etc., are among the major factors causing non-compliance with public procurement and contract management guidelines. This paper resolves to recommend to the Kwa-Zulu Natal Department of Health that public procurement and contract management policies and guidelines need to be complemented by human resources, appropriate skills, updated technologies, implementation of consequences management, and the best practice of monitoring and evaluation.