Impact of the supply chain management on service delivery : the case study of Provincial Department of Economic, Development, Environment and Tourism in the Limpopo Province

Abstract

The main aim or purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the supply chain management on service delivery on the Limpopo Department of Economic, Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET). The field survey was conducted in LEDET in the supply chain management directorate after gaining permission from the Head of Department of LEDET. The study was qualitative in design. Semi-structured interviews and questionnaires were used. The questionnaire has both open ended and closed ended questionnaires. The supply chain management directorate plays an important role in all the departments in South Africa as a whole. Supply chain management in South Africa was created to improve the lives of the communities such as historically disadvantaged individuals, disabled and women, but it is no longer serving its purpose because nowadays it is serving the few politicians, public officials and the friends and relatives of the public officials. One of the findings of this study is that the supply chain management directorate cannot function properly if the public officials who are appointed does not have relevant qualifications, training and experience towards supply chain management. There should always have uniformity of supply chain management in the three spheres of government to prevent corruption. Supply chain management must be centralised. This means that all the tender contract of the three spheres of government must be done in one centralised unit. Linking of the databases in the three spheres of government can also help the supply chain management not to appoint the same service providers in the tender contract. Appointment of service providers must be done electronically to minimize all forms of corruption. To improve service delivery the public officials must know how to interpret the acts, rules, regulations and policies governing supply chain management. They must also monitor and evaluate the entire contract from the start to the end of the contract The public officials working in the supply chain management must be paid competitive salaries, because they are compelled by the low salaries to corruption such as bribery, fraud, nepotism, extortion, embezzlement and conflict of interest become common in place. It is further recommended that the officials working in the supply chain management, who are getting lower salaries must also be evaluated and upgraded to the higher salary, depending on their qualification, experience and training.