Malatsi confident new regulations empower govt depts to procure IT services outside SITA

CAPE TOWN - The Communications and Digital Technologies Minister, Solly Malatsi, is confident that new regulations will empower departments to have the freedom to procure IT services outside of the State Information Technology Agency (SITA).

Malatsi has dismissed concerns by portfolio committee chairperson, Khusela Diko, that the regulations are not in line with the law and will further weaken the SITA.

Diko issued a statement on Monday, criticising Malatsi’s decision. She said State departments are compelled to use SITA for their IT solutions according to the act.

Diko said that the move to “devolve” powers away from SITA to departments would only “cripple” the agency that is already struggling operationally.

"We believe the minister should be putting in the work that is required to ensure that we strengthen SITA instead of crippling it. We have a problem where government services are not digitised."

Responding to Diko, Malatsi says she is either “utterly misinformed or deliberately distorting facts to suit the odious agenda” that she is pursuing.

Malatsi says the SITA regulations, which enjoy overwhelming support from ministers in the GNU, “aim to empower the departments to have the freedom to procure outside of SITA, when they are able to present a business case”.

He says this must happen “within existing public procurement prescripts”, at a faster turnaround time and a lower cost.