The Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office (Cipro) yesterday had “technical problems” with its Web site, which meant customers could not transact online.
The office, which will transform into the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission from next month, has been upgrading its IT infrastructure in anticipation of new functions it will have to offer.
SA's updated Companies Act will result in Cipro being combined with the Office of Companies and Intellectual Property Enforcement. The new entity's duties will include a larger oversight role, as well as moving from manual to electronic systems.
Last year, Cipro was in the process of overhauling its legacy systems by implementing an enterprise content management (ECM) system. However, implementation stalled when trade and industry minister Rob Davies canned the R153 million deal with Valor IT, after a forensic audit uncovered irregularities with the awarding of the contract.
Cipro cannot move ahead with the ECM system until an ongoing legal battle with Valor IT is resolved. Valor IT is demanding a payout of R28 million from DTI. In addition, Davies has hinted that the department may counter-sue Valor IT to recover some of the almost R90 million it paid out to the company.
Technical issues
Meanwhile, Cipro has hired Waymark to upgrade its current systems, at a cost of R11 million, so it can be ready for when the new law comes into effect next Friday.
Acting Cipro CEO Lungile Dukwana explains that some of the technical issues the Web site is experiencing “may be part of system improvements towards implementation of the commission”.
Dukwana says the system improvements have had “some effect on our database” and its technical team “picked up some problems, which are affecting electronic lodgements”.
Yesterday, he said the issue should have been resolved by the end of the day. However, this morning the Cipro site, which was inaccessible yesterday, was still down.
Dukwana says customers should lodge documentation manually if the situation is “extremely urgent”. Cipro was not immediately available to comment as to why the site is still inaccessible.
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