Johannesburg, 29 Sep 2008
The State IT Agency (SITA) has identified its preferred candidate to take over as CEO, and will most likely submit its proposal to Cabinet within the next two weeks.
The recent political upheaval that resulted in the resignation of president Thabo Mbeki, as well as several ministers, including public service and administration minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, under whose portfolio SITA falls, has taken focus away from the CEO search.
However, acting CEO Femke Pienaar maintains the succession process is "on track" and the new CEO will be presented to Cabinet for approval at its next meeting.
Pienaar has held the top spot at SITA since the abrupt resignation of Llewellyn Jones, who tendered his resignation just ahead of SITA's annual GovTech conference, in July, less than a year after his appointment.
The move plunged SITA into chaos, as it emerged that Jones quit his position amid alleged government interference in the agency's tender process, and a rift between him and government CIO Michelle Williams, who is also the deputy chair of the SITA board.
Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) spokesperson Ramona Baijnath confirmed this morning that the CEO appointment process is on track, adding that it is "business as usual" at the DPSA.
It is expected that Richard Baloyi, who took over the portfolio from Fraser-Moleketi, will continue to drive SITA's mandate, says Baijnath.
"The process is on track, but I can't comment on it at this stage, as nothing has been reported to me yet."
Neither Baijnath, nor Pienaar, could comment on whether the new CEO was chosen from within the ranks of SITA, or outside of the organisation.
She could also not comment on the investigation by the SITA board into the actions of Williams. This probe was ordered by Fraser-Moleketi in the midst of Jones's resignation.
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