By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The MEC of Economic Development Lebogang Maile presented the 2025 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) and the Adjustment Budget to the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.
The statement focused on driving economic growth, creating jobs, and improving essential services.
Maile announced that the Gauteng has launched a new e-procurement platform, TenderSwift, designed to digitise and fully automate the province’s tender management system.
Maile said the province is overhauling its internal systems to strengthen efficiency and combat the persistent fraud and corruption in government procurement.
TenderSwift is now accessible on the Provincial Treasury’s e-tender website. Maile described it as a modern solution that streamlines processes, enhances transparency, and brings Gauteng’s procurement operations firmly into the digital era.
He noted that for years government depended on manual, paper-based submissions, which created delays, inefficiencies and opened the door to malpractice.
The MEC added that moving to a digital system is not just a technological upgrade but a strategic step to ensure equal access to tender opportunities for all suppliers.
The platform digitises full procurement value chain, including advertising tenders, bid submissions, evaluation, adjudication, property audits, and contracting.
Alongside the introduction of TenderSwift, Maile announced the province’s R3.3-billion budget boost, with R2.2 billion allocated directly to strengthening provincial departments to stabilize service delivery and accelerate improvements where residents feel it most.
Turning to major events, Maile confirmed that hosting the G20 Summit generated over R1-billion for Gauteng, with economic benefits extending across tourism, hospitality, and local industries.
The province will continue leveraging high-profile events to drive growth, including the LIV Golf Tournament, scheduled for March 2026 at Steyn City. The event has already sold 60,000 tickets and is expected to attract significant local and international visitors.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi highlighted that proceeds will benefit townships such as Diepsloot, which face service delivery challenges.
Maile said the tournament is part of broader initiatives to revitalise townships and the inner city, efforts that will continue long after the immediate impact of the G20 Summit.