The Department of Home Affairs has asked the South African Revenue Service (SARS) for help in completing the controversial “Who Am I” contract.
Yesterday, GijimaAst told the market the department had pulled the plug on the contract, and was cancelling the deal. The company said the move was surprising, and no reasons were offered in the short letter it received from the department.
However, GijimaAst is not letting the matter rest, and intends taking legal action to enforce the R2.5 billion deal.
Bailout needed
Home affairs has now asked SARS for help in implementing the project, which is meant to seamlessly transform paper-based processes into electronic functions.
SARS spokesman Adrian Lackay confirms home affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has asked the taxman for help.
He says SARS has been working with home affairs during the past few weeks on implementing the project at points of entry.
No comment
Home affairs, however, does not want to talk about the contract, or what will happen now. Spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa says GijimaAst issued the statement and not the department.
“They and they alone are in the best position to respond to media queries regarding the contents of their statement. Accordingly, the department will not engage in any public discourse regarding this matter.”
However, Dlamini-Zuma alluded to the cancellation of the contract in her budget speech on Wednesday.
She explained in her budget vote that SARS and the department were implementing an enhanced movement control system, to facilitate the secure movement of people in and out of the country in preparation for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
The system is being piloted at OR Tambo International Airport and will roll out to 34 priority ports of entry before the World Cup, “notwithstanding the changing of the service provider”, she said.
Related story:
Who Am I canned?
Share
