New government unit will investigate, mediate and resolve late payment to its service providers, with portfolio committee seeking 14 day payment deadline A NEW government unit will investigate, mediate and resolve late payment to its service providers, the Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation in the Presidency told a parliamentary committee on Friday.There are hundreds if not thousands of stories from small business about late government payments, with some forced into severe hardship and retrenchments due to cash flow problems.Parliament’s portfolio committee for Public Service and Administration wants the government’s time limit for payment to service providers reduced from 30 days to 14 after an invoice is sent.This was agreed after the portfolio committee heard from three businesses that went through retrenchments, court cases and harassment at the hands of tardy government officials. Portfolio committee chairwoman Peace Mabe said the effect that late payment and ...

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