Question NW1441 to the Minister of Home Affairs
10 December 2024 - NW1441
Ngobeni, Ms LM to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
(1) Given that the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) has been identified as a significant bottleneck, with entities reporting to him continually highlighting its inefficiency and delays in information technology infrastructure upgrades and poor service delivery that cripples the functionality of his department, what (a) immediate steps are being taken to rectify the persistent failures at SITA and (b) alternative solutions are being considered to prevent disruptions; (2) whether he will furnish Ms L M Ngobeni with a comprehensive report on the financial impact of SITA’s inefficiencies on Home Affairs operations; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
- The Department of Home Affairs, through the Director-General and Acting Chief Information Officer (CIO), is actively engaging with SITA Executives to expedite the procurement of critical IT infrastructure and software. To address the severe impact of delays on service delivery, the Department continues to explore all available options within the legislative framework to ensure the timely procurement of essential infrastructure items. However, until the SITA Act is reviewed, current procurement measures are limited to administrative interventions, as the Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) considers any IT procurement outside of the SITA framework to be irregular in terms of the Act.
- The Department recognises that SITA’s inefficiencies have a tangible financial impact, quantifiable in terms of lost productivity hours. Moreover, these inefficiencies incur additional costs for citizens who must return multiple times to DHA offices, leading to increased transport expenses and inconvenience. Although the impact can be quantified in lost production hours, it propagates further than that, as citizens who are turned back spend money to get to DHA offices. A comprehensive report detailing these financial impacts, including lost production hours, can be made available, as part of our commitment to transparent reporting and accountability.
END.