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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
THE National University of Science and Technology’s (Nust) Applied Genetic Testing Centre (AGTC) has said red tape at the State Procurement Board (SPB) has resulted in the institution taking up to a month to issue results that are supposed to come out in a day.

AGTC chairperson Mr Zephaniah Dhlamini said they have adequate funds to buy all their requirements to conduct DNA and other tests, but SPB delays have become their biggest challenge.

He said they depend on imports and even products with low prices have to go through the SPB, which takes its time to deal with matters before it.

“As we speak we’ve piles and piles of test works that is waiting to be processed because we’re lacking some ingredients. We’ve money to do these things but the environment is just not enabling. We’ve to go via the State Procurement Board but they take their time to give responses. The process is cumbersome,” he said.

Mr Dhlamini said some of the materials they use have a short shelf life, hence they need constant supplies.

“The challenge we’re experiencing is procurement. The red tape that is involved is daunting. The reagents that we use have a very short life span; they expire and when we order the banks take forever to pay, the companies take forever to deliver,” said Mr Dhlamini.

“This is affecting the clients because they have to wait for things that were supposed to probably take a day or so. Our tests should be done in 24 hours but now a client will submit and have to wait for a month before they get their results. It’s really an inconvenience.” — @nqotshili