SOUTHERN Africa’s professional body for supply chain management, SAPICS, has affirmed its support of an industry-wide pledge to fight corruption in the supply chain sector.
“As the president of SAPICS, and in my capacity as the group chief procurement officer of PRASA, and as a passionate supply chain professional, I pledge to take a firm stand against corruption in all its forms within the supply chain fraternity,” SAPICS President Keabetswe Mpane said.
She added that SAPICS was proud to support and endorse a petition launched by the African Women in Supply Chain Association that urges all stakeholders to root out corruption. Among other demands, this petition calls for “the robust public prosecution of those found guilty of any form of corruption”.
The supply chain profession’s stand follows a growing public outcry over the corruption taking place in the procurement of personal protective equipment, with President Cyril Ramaphosa describing those involved in this corruption as “hyenas and scavengers”.
“SAPICS is steadfastly committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism in the supply chain and procurement profession. We are uncompromising in our drive to ensure that individuals and organisations in the supply chain field have the skills and support that they need to operate with integrity and uphold the highest moral and professional standards,” Mpane said.
Ethical leadership and the scourge of corruption will be addressed in one of the powerful presentations planned for the annual SAPICS Conference in November.
Human capital and strategy expert Buyani Zwane is one of the speakers who will be addressing supply chain professionals at this year’s online event. He said that Africa’s future growth and prosperity hangs in the balance, as corruption erodes the basic fibre of economies, organisations and communities.
What is needed most, Zwane said, is ethical leadership. “This is the foundation on which we must build the path to attaining inclusive and sustainable economic growth for the SADC region and African continent undeterred by pandemics.”
This year, as a result of COVID-19, the annual SAPICS conference takes the form of a virtual event on 23 and 24 November.
