A botched platform designed to showcase apps developed by small South African companies could get a brand new lease on life following a “evaluate”.
The division of communications & digital applied sciences has introduced it’ll search a brand new service supplier for the DigiTech platform, regardless of newly appointed minister Solly Malatsi’s earlier extreme criticism of the venture when he was an opposition MP in parliament for the Democratic Alliance.
The division’s purpose with the platform, which has been derided for not working correctly regardless of huge prices concerned, was to supply help for technology-focused small and medium companies by mentorship, entry to funding and entry to market alternatives.
“The division is finalising the method of appointing a brand new service supplier to take over administration of the DigiTech platform,” the division mentioned in an announcement.
“The takeover will embrace the redesign, internet hosting and upkeep of the platform to make sure that it delivers the high-quality work it was established for as a distribution service for native apps.”
DigiTech got here below hearth in mid-2023 when the DA – which was then in opposition to the ANC authorities – revealed that the web site, which had price taxpayers R734 000, was constructed utilizing a R950 template and didn’t even have rudimentary safety features.
Malatsi was vital of the DigiTech platform on the time, saying it seemed like a “grade-8 IT venture”. The web site was inaccessible on Wednesday when TechCentral tried to connect with it.
‘Operational deficiencies’
“This falls woefully wanting what the division promised for this web site and signifies a critical lack of talent in its design and development. The web site doesn’t fulfil the operate of an app retailer in any respect, and as an alternative serves solely as a database of regionally developed apps (and never a very good one at that),” the minister mentioned on the time.
In its assertion, the division mentioned its determination to revive the venture follows a evaluate of the standing of the platform “as a result of a sequence of inherent operational deficiencies”.
“We are going to be sure that the brand new supplier fulfils their contractual obligations to make sure DigiTech fulfils its preliminary function and gives worth for SMEs and the general public,” mentioned the division. – © 2024 NewsCentral Media
