In theory, the State Information Technology Agency (Sita) should hold the reins of R2 billion in government IT spend, making it one of the most powerful technology buyers in the country and giving it great influence on the way government conducts its business.
In reality, the agency admits the situation is quite different. Since its establishment in April last year it has lost two MDs. It estimates that only 10% of the state IT expenditure is under its control and says government departments that do use its services are not satisfied with the results Sita has shown to date.
Imraan Patel, director of research and knowledge management with the department of public service and administration, explains why departments often prefer not to use Sita.
"Sita are not good consultants," he says. "If they don't listen to me, they don't get the next contract and I'll spread the word that I don't like these people. And if they entrench themselves for further work I don't like that." Sita does both, he says.
"You are often frustrated as hell because you can't get straight answers [from Sita]," chairman Sello Rasethaba told the directors of government departments at a Sita seminar in Pretoria on Friday. He blames in part bad communication between the agency and government.
"Directors [of departments] and the people in Sita that were supposed to be supporting their business did not have the faintest idea what the other side was talking about," he said.
Rasethaba spread the blame for the "disconnect" far and wide, starting with government's inception of the organisation.
"The South African government felt they were being respectful of IT when they formed Sita." Instead, he said, it created a special set of rules for IT that did not apply to anything else in government. "You have detached Sita from government."
He also blames the directors of different departments for being uncomfortable with technology and therefore not handling it correctly. "Ask the simple questions, become informed about the issues and demand straight-forward answers," he urged directors.
Vendors also carry part of the blame, Rasethaba said. They are guilty of forcing uncoordinated solutions on government, of using black people to front tenders and of "screwing us up".
However, vendors often get the short end of the stick. "Government has contributed to the downfall of IT companies," he said, by causing unnecessary and costly tender duplications. "Why do you put out an RFI [request for information] when you know you are not going to buy anything? Why?" he asked the departments. Instead of contributing to the IT market, he charges government with pulling it down.
While less than happy with Sita's performance, Rasethaba believes the agency can be salvaged and can play a large role in coordinating and consolidating government contracts and to turn vendors into strategic partners. The first step, he said, is communication.
Related stories:
SITA MD quits
External links:
http://www.sita.co.za
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