Setting the record straight on the so-called partnership with The New Age
05 February 2017
The Office of the Premier in Mpumalanga would like to set the record straight with regards to a Sunday Times article published today, 05 February 2017 titled “Gupta paper seeks Mpumalanga deal”.
We have observed that the newspaper has published a rehashed story of last year in an attempt to desperately link the provincial government and the Premier of the province with the Gupta businesses in an effort to tarnish his image.
It is common cause that the provincial government receives approaches from various organisations and service providers including the media who seek to supply or partner with the provincial government.
The decision by the provincial communicators forum to afford The New Age to make a presentation in September last year, was not exceptional. The Office of the Premier through the provincial government communicators forum has previously received presentations and proposals from other media houses, which include the SABC, Independent Newspapers and Capricorn FM.
We wish to emphasize that there was no decision taken by the executive council to partner with The New Age, irrespective of the newspaper having made a proposal to work with the provincial government to publish a daily provincial edition in which government news from the province would receive prominence in their paper. Their presentation is not different from other media houses which have also submitted proposals.
It is our understanding that The New Age approached us since it already had similar arrangements with five other provincial governments which are the Western Cape, Northern Cape, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Free State and North West.
The Director-General had indicated that the Communications Directorate in the Office of the Premier should prepare for an open tender once a budget its available to all media houses which are interested.
The Office of the Premier wishes to state that we are nowhere near to that process, however when the time comes, all those media houses, and others, that have presented on how they could enhance the communication function of the provincial government would be invited through an open tender process to respond. We will welcome further, more proposals that would add value on our work.
We wish to reiterate that the provincial government did not offer or promise anything to The New Age, and by allowing them to make presentations and proposals just like the other media houses, should therefore not be viewed as an indication that we committed to do business with them. Mpumalanga is not a banana province, we follow due tender processes.
Therefore, we view efforts to link the provincial government and the Honourable Premier with the Gupta business as mischievous and politicking. The policy of the provincial government states clear that local broad-based black economic empowerment compliant companies should get preference. Whenever there are tenders that are published and evaluated based on the treasury procurement policies and in compliant to public finance management act.
We hope journalists will desist from publishing fake news as credible news.
Issued by Mpumalanga Provincial Government
Enquiries:
Spokesperson: Mpumalanga Premier
Mpumalanga Provincial Government
Office of the Premier
Zibonele Mncwango
Tel: (013) 766 2453
Mobile: 082 616 6698
E-mail: mncwangoz@prem.mpg.gov.za