AST has, as part of a consortium, won a contract for network deployment, support and maintenance for the Department of Justice in a deal worth over R200 million.
AST Distributed Technology Services will deploy hardware and migration of Windows 2000 and MS Office 2000 throughout 550 courts in SA.
The upgrading and implementation of the IT infrastructure will be conducted in four phases over a two-year period.
AST CEO Jan van Zyl says the deal is worth over R200 million, derived over the two-year period of implementation.
"AST has always had dealings with governmental departments. We have previously done business with the Department of Home Affairs and the Post Office. Our black empowerment partners give us a good standing to apply for work with the government," says Van Zyl.
The other members of the AST consortium are Tactical Software Systems, Computer Sciences Corporation, I-Fusion and AST black empowerment partners, Thuso IT and Naledi Computer Systems.
AST says the upgrading and implementation of the new infrastructure will enhance the ability of the courts in urban and rural areas across the country to share case information, access and exchange legal research, and communicate more effectively with relevant role-players and the legal community in general.
"The Department of Justice currently faces the challenge of accuracy in financial administration and reporting, and case backlogs, hence the contract to put systems in place is the first step to resolving this situation," explains Leon Mbangwa, e-Justice Communications project leader.
"In addition, AST will train the department`s IT staff, empowering them to deliver the standard of service required by the department," he says.
The information and communication technology group achieved a 47% increase in revenue for the year to June, finishing at R1.51 billion. The group ended the reporting period with R161 million cash in hand.
Van Zyl says the group is currently in negotiations with the relevant parties at Iscor regarding the parastatal`s disposal of its AST shares. He says the market can expect an announcement regarding this before the end of the calendar year.
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