The recent findings by the Auditor- General of South Africa (AGSA) pertaining to the use of consultants by the government are both a worry and a concern, says Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) CEO Graham Pirie.

South Africa’s deputy auditor-general, Kimi Makwetu, said: “The government needs to immediately implement stricter controls to get the best value for money for services provided by external consultants to the public sector.”

This followed the release of AGSA’s performance audit report on the use of consultants at selected national departments. Makwetu says that the partnership between the private and public sectors has become important in driving South Africa towards its development goals; however, the report identifies areas that need to be controlled when engaging in these partnerships to get the best value for money.

Pirie states: “It is a worry because the report does not differentiate the disciplines of the consultants and sort of paints everyone with the same brush, and also states that there are no proper management controls in terms of payments are in place. This is evident in the fact that the public sector entities as reflected in the three spheres of government still owe to the tune of R1 billlion in delayed payments to consulting engineering firms.”

CESA represents the interests of its members and provides quality assurance for clients. Over 480 firms employing just over 22 000 staff, who collectively earn a total fee income of almost R17 billion per annum, are members of CESA.

“We have been vocal, open and honest with our dealings with the state and we have proper controls that subjects members to perform their duties with integrity as we subscribe to the principle of ethical balance.

“We believe the government should spend more on engineering consultants to unlock projects to improve infrastructure spend and infrastructure delivery, which will alleviate inequality, poverty and unemployment.

“The lack of engineering skills within government means that consulting engineers play a vital role in partnering with government as their trusted advisor. This ensures sustainable solutions that provide both quality and value are procured by the various departments, at the same time providing skills transfer to mentor and train government personnel to ensure continued service delivery.”