Workshop on Green Public Procurement Guidelines for Gauteng

On the 22nd of February 2024, a workshop was held at the GCRO offices about the Green Public Procurement Guidelines for Gauteng Province. The workshop was a project steering committee meeting that focused on guideline induction and implementation. The draft Gauteng Green Public Procurement Guidelines were compiled in May 2023 and there is a move by the provincial government to finalize these guidelines in 2024. Representatives from the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD), the Provincial Treasury, and academics from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and the University of Johannesburg attended the workshop. The steering committee members were present, and the workshop proceedings were facilitated by Prof Jonathan Klaaren, of the School of Law at Wits.

The workshop aimed to emphasize the significance of Green Public Procurement as a concept for just governance. It is a process that enables the procurement of eco-friendly infrastructural features that can help to rejuvenate structures in Gauteng sustainably. Green Public Procurement is an approach where organizations purchase goods, services, works, and utilities while considering the environmental impacts and life cycle costs. This approach generates numerous benefits not only for the organization but also for society and the economy while minimizing the damage to the environment, as defined by UNEP.

The workshop included presentations on the status of procurement in the province, legal processes for public procurement, case studies of green public procurement in building South Africa’s two newest universities (Sol Plaatje University in Kimberley and University of Mpumalanga in Nelspruit), and guideline application to incorporate green procurement.

During the presentation, GDARD's adherence to the draft Climate Change Bill was discussed. The presentation covered a range of topics including carbon emissions, national greenhouse gas emissions and their trajectory, fossil fuel inventorying, carbon budgeting, and targets set for particular industrial and economic sectors. They also presented circular waste economy programs and green transport strategies. The presentation also discussed the concept of green star rating systems for construction and environmental strategies. In the workshop, it was highlighted that green procurement practices require knowledgeable leadership during the planning process, a strategic approach to procurement, well-formulated procurement guidelines, and a different mindset towards procurement.

The GCRO wishes the project steering committee and the Gauteng Provincial Government all the best for the finalization and implementation of the Green Public Procurement Guidelines.