Question NW3448 to the Minister of Small Business Development

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30 November 2022 - NW3448

Profile picture: Mthenjane, Mr DF

Mthenjane, Mr DF to ask the Minister of Small Business Development

What are the details of the (a) nature and (b) causes of the capacity constraints in the Information and Communications Technology Unit that led to her department not being able to hold one of the governance meetings in the first quarter of the current financial year as she reported during the meeting of the report-back on Vote 36 to the Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development?”

Reply:

a) The ICT Directorate consists of:

  1. 1 Director,
  2. 1 Deputy Director,
  3. 2 Registry Clerks, and
  4. supported by 2 Sita Support Officials (providing desktop support).

b)(i) On 17 August 2021 a moratorium on filling posts in the Department was declared due to entry of the new Executive Authority.

(ii) The Deputy Director: Information Management/Information Technology Management terminated service on 31 August 2021 which left the Directorate with only 1 technical expert in the ICT space (Director: Chief Information Officer). To be noted is that the 2 registry clerks are not in the field of ICT and the resources from SITA are contracted to provide desktop support services and hence do not form part of the ICT Strategic functions. Further to this, the Director: Chief Information Officer was appointed as Acting Chief Director: Corporate Management after the resignation of the previous incumbent adding greater pressure during this period.

(iii) Approval was received from the Minister to fill the Deputy Director: Information Management/Information Technology post on 25 October 2021.

(iv) The post was advertised in the Public Service Vacancy Circular of November 2021.

(v) The post is filled as of October 2022. The reasons for the delay in recruitment is based on the fact that the HRA sub directorate of the Department had been severely under resourced. Adding to this pressure was the fact that the advertisement was just prior to the festive period and hence efforts to shortlist during this period became challenging. The appointed service provider was inundated with applications due to the volumes received for the posts advertised during this timeframe and resulted in delayed screening and filtering of candidates. This was further exacerbated with the resignation of the DD: HRA and resulted in one Level 8 official to assist with HRA for most of Q1 and Q2 of 2022/23 financial year.

(vi) These shortages affected the ability to coordinate and manage the requisite governance meetings, however had been brought back on track in Q2 and going forward.

STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS

MINISTER: MINISTER OF SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

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