The 'Unused Power' of Debarment: Why South Africa's supplier blacklist fails to fight public sector corruption
 

Authors:

L Muntingh
 

Summary: 

Blacklisting is one of South Africa’s most promising yet underutilised tools for tackling corruption in public procurement. Although the law enables the exclusion of dishonest companies and individuals from state contracts, referrals to National Treasury’s Restricted Suppliers Database remain rare and uneven—and many serious cases never reach the system at all. This fact sheet explains the current gaps, the systemic reasons for weak enforcement, and how the new Public Procurement Act could revitalise debarment. Strengthening this mechanism, it argues, is vital for safeguarding public funds, improving service delivery, and restoring confidence in government procurement.


Link to Fact-sheet