Government needs support from IT professionals in order to get its governance right.
This is according to auditor-general Terence Nombembe, who discussed government's approach to governance at the South African Chapter of the ISACA conference, in Johannesburg, this week. In order to improve IT governance, private practitioners working in the industry need to collaborate with government to solve IT-related issues, he said.
He stressed that he is not raising these issues as a member of government, but rather as an observer and a citizen who is concerned about the risks seen in government when it comes to IT systems and data security.
"As experts in the ICT field, we tend to work in a manner that is quite fragmented and we are not working towards the same goal," said Nombembe. "This is a challenge that requires teamwork. It is not a problem for government alone; it is for all of us who are concerned SA citizens."
Cyber security players do not talk to each other or to government about how best to secure data and mitigate risk, said Nombembe, which increases vulnerability.
Conversations around IT governance within government should be about finding solutions, noted Nombembe, mentioning the vulnerabilities that exist in many of the government platforms that service South African citizens.
According to Nombembe, government IT controls are falling short, adding that even the most basic IT functionality in government is neglected. This is problematic because effective IT promotes national security, while enabling service delivery and operational integrity.
"ICT in the state environment facilitates benefits for citizens," he said, stressing that there are systems that can minimise risks and solve issues faced by everyday citizens, but government is not using these offerings.
Better IT management improves service delivery, he concluded, adding that a clear strategy, coupled with effective collaboration and teamwork, are essential.
"Let's work together and be proactive about these issues."
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