The Public Service Fee has acknowledged the governance points on the State IT Company and voiced concern about cybersecurity in authorities.
This comes after communications minister Solly Malatsi referred to as on the PSC to research the company, which is liable for authorities IT procurement and companies.
“The PSC welcomes the decision from Malatsi to research governance challenges at Sita,” the PSC mentioned in assertion. “The PSC recognises the vital function Sita performs in supporting authorities departments to ship important companies to residents. Governance points at Sita, if left unaddressed, threaten to undermine these very important companies.”
TechCentral reported on Thursday that Malatsi referred to as for the investigation following requests by numerous authorities departments and businesses, together with the South African Police Service and the division of residence affairs asking that their IT procurement processes be divorced from Sita as its inefficiencies have been having a unfavourable affect on them.
House affairs minister Leon Schreiber final month advised parliament that Sita’s monopoly over public sector IT companies meant that authorities departments have been working “with one hand tied behind our backs”.
“Sita is a man-made assemble that stands squarely in the best way of technological progress, not solely at residence affairs, however throughout authorities,” mentioned Schreiber.
In his assertion, Malatsi mentioned: “Sita faces mounting challenges, together with governance issues, irregular procurement practices, operational inefficiencies and an alarming deterioration in service supply. These points, if left unaddressed, pose a risk to the company’s mission and its capability to ship worth to South Africans.”
Key points
Malatsi recognized key challenges:
- Service supply failures: Quite a few consumer departments, together with the ministries of police, residence affairs and justice, have sought exemptions from utilizing Sita companies on account of its alleged inefficiency. “This displays the company’s incapability to fulfill expectations and undermines belief in its capabilities,” mentioned Malatsi.
- Governance challenges: Allegations of corruption, maladministration and interference at board degree have raised pink flags about accountability and transparency throughout the organisation.
- Management instability: Excessive turnover at govt and senior administration ranges has left vital positions crammed by folks in an appearing capability. Divisions throughout the govt committee are resulting in organisational instability and poor choice making, he mentioned.
- Irregular procurement practices: Sita’s alleged failure to observe correct procurement procedures has resulted in contracts being irregularly awarded, tarnishing its status and elevating authorized issues.
- Deteriorating audit outcomes: Sita did not submit its 2023/2024 annual report, highlighting a “worrying decline in monetary accountability”.
- Missed efficiency targets: Persistently “underwhelming” outcomes towards predetermined aims have additional eroded confidence within the company.
“Recognising the urgency of those issues, I’ve formally requested the Public Service Fee to research a variety of points affecting Sita,” mentioned Malatsi. The PSC has been mandated to research the problems recognized at Sita in addition to decide the basis explanation for operational inefficiencies.
In its response, the PSC cited its ongoing work at Sita, which stems from a 2022 report accepted by former communications minister Mondli Gungubele that highlighted governance points and their affect on cybersecurity throughout the state’s IT infrastructure.
Learn: Malatsi orders Sita probe amid governance issues
“The investigation that is known as for enhances the PSC’s work which is advancing at the moment on assessing the state’s capability and functionality to deal with cybersecurity challenges. The PSC seems to be ahead to working with the minister to make sure a complete and impactful investigation,” it mentioned. – © 2024 NewsCentral Media
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