The controversial deal between the Free State province and a consortium to develop 38 Web sites is again under scrutiny, as it is revealed the sites pose security risks and are no better than a basic Web presence.
An industry insider points out that the sites have limited functionality, and do not incorporate best practice. The cost of the sites has also come under scrutiny, and the insider argues that it cannot be justified.
The province has defended its sites, saying it initiated a project in 2011 to create an integrated online presence for the broader Free State provincial and local government sector. "Prior to this project, the online presence of the Free State government and municipalities were fragmented, outdated and cluttered with irrelevant information."
Security holes
Swift Consulting CEO and tech blogger Liron Segev, writes that the Office of the Premier site, also created by the WordPress theme generator, was created using WordPress version 3.3.1, while the main site is on version 3.4.1.
"A quick search of the Web reveals just how easily WordPress with this version can be exploited and poses many security risks. It doesn't end there. The balance of the departments is made up of a mixed bag of WordPress themes of varying versions - all with exploits and vulnerabilities."
Segev points out that comments are not moderated, which means that anyone can post whatever they want, including porn. He notes that errors are visible within seconds, just by viewing the source code.
The province did not respond to a request for comment on Segev's statements.
Free State DG Elzabe Rockman told ITWeb this week that the deal included hosting and security from the State IT Agency. However, this amount is not indicated in the three-page tender award notice, which was published last February.
Costly business
According to the award document, six phases were budgeted for in the 2011/12 financial year, which ended last March.
Phase one included planning, conceptualisation, research and information development. According to the document, which was sent to ITWeb by a third-party after the province refused to provide it, the tender includes R350 000 per site for departments and the metropolitan.
In addition, it includes R300 000 per site for larger local municipalities, R200 000 for each site for entities and municipalities, and R150 000 for other local municipalities.
Design, which is listed under phase two, included R350 000 a site for departments and the metropolitan, R300 000 each for larger local municipalities, R200 000 for entities and district municipalities, as well as R150 000 each for other local municipalities.
In the same financial year, development and creation was set to cost R100 000, while testing was set at R900 an hour for 10 people, although there is no time limit imposed on the number of hours. Implementation costs R413 600, and maintenance is charged at R900 an hour for two people, again without a time limit.
Content generation and management was listed as costing R75 000 a site over three months.
In the financial year that is set to end this month, maintenance, which includes review and update of design, is costed at R900 an hour, while content review, generation and management is R68 523 a month, per site. With a total expected number of 38 sites, content generation and management alone could come to as much as R31 million.
The next financial year again includes maintenance at R900 an hour and content review, generation and management of R68 523 a month, per site.
Worlds apart
Mondli Mvambi, director of media strategy and liaison in the Office of the Premier, told ITWeb the cost during the 2011/12 financial year amounted to about R24 million, while the current financial year cost is around R23.8 million, a total of R47.8 million.
Costs are shared between the Office of the Premier and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, says Mvambi.
"The extensive research, content development and generation is evident from the fact that the current content development process for provincial departments, entities and municipalities has resulted in a total number of 20 877 documents and/or information pieces being researched, collated, generated and/or developed," said Mvambi.
Mvambi added that the project not only aims to increase provincial and local governments' use of online and social media, but also addresses compliance of departments, entities and municipalities with legislative and regulatory requirements.
However, the cost of the sites and what the province received are "worlds apart". He says the sites are "very, very rudimentary" and essentially constitute content management, which could have been created by anyone with a little bit of knowledge.
Segev points out that the main site, which links to others, is a mixture of old and new, with the new being the front interface and the old being "very HTML and 1999". He says even if there was cloud-based international redundancy and the best firewall in the world, the sites should still not cost R40 million.
World Wide Worx MD Arthur Goldstuck writes that the total cost of planning comes to R9.55 million, as does the total cost of design. Testing, on a conservative assumption of three eight-hour days, would be R216 000, he writes. "No ceiling was placed on this amount, however, and it could be 10 times as high."
According to Goldstuck, the total for the first five phases is R20.8 million, just to get the sites "up and running". He puts the total cost of the sites over the period at R97.8 million.
Mvambi explained there is no cost for hosting, maintenance and update of sites that are not yet live.
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