The Public Procurement Act will have major implications not just for the public sector but also for the private sector supplying goods and services to the state. It may potentially extend into the private sector and impact how organisations buy from their own private suppliers, the African Procurement Law Unit’s Professor Geo Quinot told delegates at the recent 2024 Smart Procurement World Indaba.

This important annual event, which is now in its 18th year, enables procurement and inbound supply chain professionals to learn, share knowledge and network. With the Public Procurement Act set to radically transform South Africa’s procurement system and deliver both opportunities and challenges, this year’s gathering was more important than ever, according to the organisers. Reflecting this, the Indaba saw a record attendance of more than 1 000 procurement professionals and has been rated by delegates as a resounding success.

In a presentation that attendees commended for being “a simple yet comprehensive breakdown of the Public Procurement Act”, Quinot explained the big changes in terms of the institutional frameworks, dispute resolution, methods of procurement and preferential procurement. He discussed the procurement statutory landscape prior to the Act and explained that it was fragmented and influenced by multiple pieces of legislation and regulatory bodies. “The Act aims to create a single framework that regulates public procurement, including preferential procurement, by all organs of state. It establishes a Public Procurement Office that will standardise the procurement process and use technology to drive procurement, including creating a single e-Procurement system. There is a lot of work lying ahead – especially now that we are entering the phase of writing regulations to give effect to this new statute,” he noted.

Quinot said that too often, public procurement is only seen as a boring backroom function while it is a “highly exciting, specialised field that stands at the heart of public service”.

The Smart Procurement World Indaba is South Africa’s largest, longest-standing event for procurement and inbound supply chain professionals. The annual Absa Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) Expo and Absa Smart Supplier Conference form part of the Indaba and this year enabled 350 small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) to showcase their products and services, to learn and establish vital connections with prospective corporate partners.

Accessing markets and sustainable contracts remains a critical challenge for small suppliers and businesses in South Africa, but they play a critical role in the country’s economy. Developing, empowering and upskilling SMMEs can help to fight unemployment, which has soared to a record 33.5%, according to data recently released by Statistics South Africa. This year’s Smart Procurement World Indaba attendees rated it as an invaluable platform for small businesses to connect and network with corporates.

“This is a phenomenal platform to meet and engage,” commented first time attendee Jennifer Beard, the head of Business Development at Wings Global Travel. “We attended this year in order to connect with a wide variety of procurement specialists and can guarantee that we will be back next year,” she said.

Thapelo Moloi, who is a broadcaster and programme manager, also noted the imperative for small businesses and corporates to connect for mutual benefit. He noted that being together at the Indaba offered an opportunity for small businesses to learn and understand what corporates need. “We need to integrate small businesses into our supply chains, and we need to find ways to develop them,” he stressed, adding that he would definitely recommend the Indaba to others.

Thandile Mhlom, procurement manager at SANRAL, praised the exciting lineup at the 2024 Smart Procurement World Indaba, including the speakers and the content covered. “It was even better than last year. The topics were very relevant, and the timing could not have been better as it followed closely on the establishment of the Public Procurement Act.” Mhlom said that his key takeaways from the event were around the Public Procurement Act, the regulations that need to be drafted and the way forward for the profession. “I would recommend the Indaba to all supply chain management professionals,” he stated.