BY GCWALISILE MHLABANE
MANZINI– Government is strengthening public procurement through the development of a new Supply Chain Management (SCM) cadre aimed at improving capacity, accountability and ethical standards in the management of public resources.
Civil Service Commission Chairman Simangaliso Mamba highlighted the importance of the initiative while delivering closing remarks at a Supply Chain Management workshop held at Royal Villas on October 8, 2026.
The workshop was organised by the Ministry of Finance in collaboration with the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) as part of Government’s programme to professionalise the SCM function and build capacity within the newly established cadre.
The programme focused on ethical conduct, detecting fraud and corruption, bid rigging, organisational culture and managing ethical risks within supply chains.
Mamba said capacity building was critical to national development, noting that a strong public service was essential for effective governance and service delivery.
He commended the Civil Service Commission for supporting the development of the SCM cadre, saying its establishment marked an important step towards recognising supply chain management as a professional function within Government.
“The development of this cadre is an important step toward recognising supply chain management as a professional function,” he said.
Mamba said the cadre would give officers defined responsibilities, competencies and clearer career progression, helping to establish a professional body of supply chain practitioners within the public service.
He said SCM officers played a critical role in translating Government plans and budgets into practical results, requiring them to understand institutional needs, plan effectively, conduct procurement fairly and ensure contracts were properly managed.
“When this work is done well, public institutions are better able to obtain what they need, when they need it, with transparency and value for money,” Mamba said.
He challenged officers to look beyond procedural compliance and focus on whether public expenditure achieved its intended impact.
“Value for money is not about compliance. It is about impactful expenditure,” he said.
Mamba warned that completing procurement requirements did not, on its own, guarantee value for money. Officers must also guard against inflated prices and ensure that spending contributes to the intended objectives.
“Every rand should impact the main target,” he said.
He urged SCM officers to uphold high ethical standards when handling public funds and confidential information, manage conflicts of interest, properly process invoices and report corruption concerns.
Mamba said public procurement extended beyond central Government to municipalities and parastatals, making sound professional judgement essential across the public sector.
He said citizens should have confidence that taxpayer money was being used responsibly and translated into improved services and tangible benefits.
The Chairman also called for stronger and digitalised procurement systems to improve transparency and efficiency while reducing opportunities for public fund leakages.
He thanked CIPS for its collaboration in advancing the professionalisation programme, saying the initiative built on longstanding efforts to establish procurement as a recognised professional function within Government.
The programme is expected to strengthen the skills and ethical standards of SCM officers while supporting greater accountability and value for money in public expenditure.
Mamba urged officers to embrace the new professional framework and ensure their work contributes to effective public service delivery.
“Let us get it professionalised,” he said.
(Courtesy Pic)
