Category: MIL-OSI

An independent investigation into the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) by the Public Service Commission (PSC), covering the period 2020 to 2025, has found serious weaknesses in spending controls, contract management and governance.

The findings have prompted a set of reforms aimed at stabilising the organisation and ensuring that SITA is fit for purpose in a modern digital state.

The report found that SITA was flagged for irregular expenditure by the Auditor-General across four audited years. It also found weak accountability for officials responsible for irregular spending, a high number of tenders abandoned or cancelled before completion, and long delays in awarding contracts, slowing down government projects and service delivery.

Speaking during a media briefing on Monday in Pretoria, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi said the delays were not merely internal administrative failures, but affected the ability of government departments to obtain the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) systems and services they need to serve the public.

“Departments including the South African Police Service, Home Affairs and Justice have, over time, sought exemptions to meet their operational needs outside SITA processes,” Malatsi said.

Among the most serious findings are:

• Over R2 billion in irregular expenditure was flagged by the Auditor-General across four audited years: R819.7 million in 2020/21, R285.5 million in 2021/22, R452 million in 2022/23 and R514.171 million in 2024/25. The investigation found insufficient evidence that consequence management was consistently applied in relation to these matters.
• The investigation also found that one in four tenders analysed did not result in an award. Of 1,443 concluded procurement matters reviewed, 278 were withdrawn, 52 were cancelled and 34 were closed with no recorded reason, representing an attrition rate of 25.2%.
• In addition, 529 procurement matters remained open in the pipeline, with the oldest matters sitting in adjudication and contracting for an average of more than 400 days. A total of 203 procurement matters took longer than a year from work order to final outcome.

The report further found that SITA did not have a reliable, integrated and automated central contract register for its own contracts. Contract expiry dates were tracked manually, and value for money could not always be demonstrated.

In recruitment and human resources processes, the investigation identified corruption exposure arising from broad discretion, weak controls, incomplete audit trails, retrospective approvals, weak vetting and instances where contract extensions bypassed competitive processes.

The report also raised serious concerns about Board records, including missing meeting packs, incomplete resolutions and records that were dependent on individual custodians.

As a result, SITA was often unable to demonstrate clearly how major decisions were taken, when they were taken and by whom.

The Minister said the report provided a clear diagnosis, practical reforms and firm deadlines.

“The Board and management now have a direct mandate to stabilise the organisation, restore basic controls, clear procurement blockages and rebuild trust through evidence, not promises,” Malatsi said.

To ensure that the report becomes a reform instrument rather than another unimplemented document, the Minister and the PSC agreed on immediate actions.

• First, the SITA Board must submit a Board-approved stabilisation and recovery plan to the Minister within 30 business days.
• Second, SITA must produce a verified procurement backlog baseline within 30 business days, benchmarked against the investigation data, so that progress can be measured transparently and cannot be overstated.
• Third, SITA must submit a governance reform plan within 60 business days, including measures to strengthen Board administration, records management, delegations, procurement controls, contract management and executive accountability.
• Fourth, SITA must provide quarterly governance-health reports to the Minister, including progress on procurement turnaround times, backlog reduction, contract-register integrity, implementation of audit findings and consequence-management matters.
• Fifth, SITA must establish a consolidated consequence-management framework. Every irregular expenditure item, disciplinary matter and prior investigation finding must be registered, allocated to an accountable owner, tracked, and closed only with evidence. Criminal or high-value matters must be escalated to the appropriate authorities without delay.
• Sixth, reforms may not be closed on management’s assurance alone. Their effectiveness must be independently validated and reported to the Minister.
• Finally, the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies is leading a formal review of SITA’s mandate and operating model, working with the Department of Public Service and Administration, National Treasury and the Presidency.

The review will consider whether legislative, policy or operational reforms are required to support the wider effort to make SITA fit for purpose.

According to the statement from the briefing, the Minister and the PSC emphasised that the report does not find that every transaction, appointment or decision at SITA was irregular.

Rather, it identifies systemic weaknesses that created an environment in which poor decisions, delays, weak accountability and corruption risks could take root. – SAnews.gov.za

The Department of Basic Education has reached 100% completion of all pit toilet eradication projects identified through the 2018 Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) Initiative audit.  

Speaking during a school sanitation visit at Dimbaza Primary School in the Eastern Cape on Monday, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube confirmed that all 3 372 schools identified in the 2018 audit have now been provided with safe and appropriate sanitation facilities. 

The achievement marks the completion of one of democratic South Africa’s most consequential school infrastructure programmes and honours the memory of children such as Michael Komape, Lumka Mkhethwa and Langalam Viki, whose deaths changed the national conversation on school sanitation forever. 

The completion of the SAFE Initiative has changed the daily reality of millions of learners and thousands of teachers. 

More than 3 million learners have benefited from safer sanitation facilities, while more than 48 000 teachers now work in healthier and more dignified environments. 

Ayama Willem, a learner from LF May Primary School, shared in a video how the new toilets have replaced the fear she once experienced using unsafe pit toilets where snakes were sometimes found, allowing her to focus on learning instead of worrying about her safety. 

At Dimbaza Primary School, teacher Anelise Fani described the previous sanitation facilities as frustrating and discouraging for educators, saying the new facilities have restored dignity to teachers who dedicate their lives to educating South Africa’s children. 

Minister Gwarube emphasised that the announcement confirms the successful completion of the backlog identified through the 2018 SAFE Initiative audit and does not suggest that every pit toilet in the country has disappeared. 

She noted that some schools may have developed sanitation challenges after the original 2018 audit, others may have been unintentionally omitted, while some communities have retained old pit toilet structures despite receiving new facilities. 

The Minister stressed that provincial education departments must now identify and address any remaining sanitation challenges with urgency.

While celebrating this significant national milestone, the Minister noted that South Africa continues to face a broader school infrastructure backlog exceeding R120 billion, with many schools still requiring classrooms, libraries, laboratories, fencing and other essential facilities. 

She also warned that natural disasters, vandalism and constrained provincial budgets are placing growing pressure on infrastructure delivery. 

The Minister emphasised that the completion of the SAFE Initiative must now be protected through proper maintenance, community ownership and provincial oversight, so that the facilities built through this programme remain safe, clean and functional. 

She further called on communities to protect school infrastructure, reminding South Africans that every classroom, sanitation facility and school preserved is an investment in the community’s future. 

“Today we celebrate a remarkable national achievement of eradicating 100% of the pit toilets identified in the SAFE Initiative Backlog. Tomorrow, we continue building, maintaining and modernising our schools until every learner, in every province, learns in an environment that reflects the value we place on their future.” – SAnews.gov.za

KwaZulu-Natal Finance MEC Francois Rodgers has commended the significant improvement in the number of municipalities adopting funded budgets for the 2026/27 financial year, describing it as an important step towards strengthening financial governance and ensuring sustainable service delivery across the province.

According to the KwaZulu-Natal Treasury, 43 of the 49 municipalities that had tabled and approved their 2026/27 budgets were assessed as having funded budgets in line with Section 18 of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA).

The provincial Treasury noted that eNdumeni Local Municipality had not approved its budget at the time of the assessment.

The department said the latest assessment marks an improvement from the previous financial year, when 19 municipalities adopted unfunded budgets following their 2025/26 adjusted budgets. The number has since declined to six municipalities for the 2026/27 financial year.

The municipalities that adopted unfunded budgets are Mpofana, iMpendle, iNkosi Langalibalele, eMadlangeni, Ulundi Local Municipality, and uThukela District Municipality.

The KwaZulu-Natal Treasury said the status of eNdumeni Local Municipality’s budget remains undetermined, while the funding status of Amajuba District Municipality’s budget is still being assessed after the municipality informed Treasury that it adopted its budget on 29 June 2026.

The Treasury also noted that iNkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality re-tabled its 2026/27 budget on 25 June 2026, but the revised budget has not yet been reassessed.

While welcoming progress, Rodgers said the provincial government remains concerned about municipalities that continue to approve unfunded budgets, warning that the practice undermines financial stability and compromises the delivery of essential services to communities.

He reiterated that adopting unfunded budgets contravenes the MFMA and its associated regulations.

“We welcome the improvement in funded budgets, reflecting stronger compliance and financial discipline. However, unfunded budgets remain unlawful and undermine service delivery. The Government of Provincial Unity will continue to act against non-compliance while supporting municipalities to improve,” Rodgers said.

He reaffirmed KZN Treasury’s commitment to working with municipalities to strengthen financial management practices.

“Municipalities are encouraged to continue engaging with Treasury to ensure that their budgets are credible, funded, and aligned with the principles of sound fiscal governance.” – SAnews.gov.za

The Department of Home Affairs says it is moving to strengthen immigration enforcement capacity through the recruitment of an additional 301 immigration officers.

At present, the department has only 868 immigration officers.

“This limited capacity is expected to support immigration enforcement across the entire country. Despite the severe resource constraints that the department continues to face, reprioritisation work has been done to enable the recruitment of this cohort of additional Immigration Officers. 

“The increase from 868 to 1 169 officers will enhance enforcement capacity by 35%,” the department said in a statement on Monday.

This is being done in conjunction with other initiatives alongside National Treasury to secure additional resources to further boost digital transformation and capacity-building initiatives. 

The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, said the recruitment drive forms part of the department’s broader reforms to build a secure, digital and fit-for-purpose immigration system that serves the national interest.

“The Home Affairs @ home reforms are about building an immigration system that works from beginning to end. That means using technology like the Electronic Travel Authorisation to strengthen the enforcement of lawful entry into South Africa, while also investing in the frontline officers who enforce our laws every day.

“By appointing 301 additional immigration officers, we are now making one of the biggest investments in immigration enforcement capacity in years, strengthening our ability to uphold the rule of law and protect the integrity of South Africa’s immigration system,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za

The South African government has appointed technology leader and digital transformation advocate Lady Mariéme Jamme as the country’s Special Envoy for Technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The appointment was announced during a recent AMC Davos 2026 gathering in Tianjin, China, by the Office of the Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga.

According to the department, the appointment reflects South Africa’s commitment to ensuring that women, youth and persons with disabilities are empowered to participate fully in the digital economy and to help shape the future of ethical, inclusive and human-centred artificial intelligence.

The department said the appointment aligns with its mandate to advance the socio-economic empowerment, inclusion and rights of women, youth and persons with disabilities, while supporting the country’s vision of a digitally inclusive society, where technological innovation drives opportunity, equality, economic participation and sustainable development.

It said the announcement comes as governments, business leaders and multilateral organisations intensify global engagement on artificial intelligence, digital transformation and the future of work.

“The appointment comes at a pivotal moment as governments, business leaders, investors and multilateral organisations accelerate global dialogue on artificial intelligence, digital transformation and the future of work,” the department said in a statement on Saturday.

In her honorary, strategic and non-executive role, Jamme will serve as South Africa’s global representative and adviser on technology diplomacy, responsible AI governance and digital inclusion.

Her responsibilities will include supporting South Africa’s engagement with governments, multilateral institutions, academia, investors and industry leaders, with a focus on technology diplomacy, workforce readiness, innovation ecosystems and strategic partnerships that advance the country’s development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The department said the appointment reflects South Africa’s commitment to ensuring that Africa’s expertise, priorities, and lived experiences are represented in shaping international AI policy, governance, and innovation.

“Her appointment reflects South Africa’s conviction that artificial intelligence must serve humanity and that its future cannot be shaped by only a handful of countries or institutions. It must also reflect the voices and aspirations of Africa, women, young people, persons with disabilities and communities that have historically been excluded from technological progress.”

Shaping the future of technology

Chikunga said the appointment demonstrates government’s commitment to ensuring that women, youth and persons with disabilities are at the forefront of the digital economy and are empowered to shape the future of technology.

“The appointment of Lady Mariéme Jamme as Special Envoy for Technology and Artificial Intelligence reflects our commitment to advancing ethical, inclusive and human-centred artificial intelligence while strengthening South Africa’s leadership in global technology diplomacy.

“Her extensive experience in digital transformation, innovation and skills development, together with her deep commitment to empowering communities across Africa and beyond, will help us build strategic partnerships that advance our national priorities, create opportunities for all, and ensure that no one is left behind in the digital age,” the Minister said.

Jamme said artificial intelligence is redefining power, productivity and possibility across the world. However, she warned that technology without ethics, inclusion and human dignity, risks widening inequality rather than reducing it.

She expressed her appreciation to the South African Government and Minister Chikunga for the confidence placed in her.

“This appointment is an opportunity to strengthen Africa’s contribution to global AI governance and to ensure that innovation expands opportunity, protects human dignity and creates lasting prosperity for women, young people and underserved communities. Together, we can help build an AI future that leaves no one behind,” Jamme said.

About Lady Mariéme Jamme

Lady Mariéme Jamme is an internationally recognised technology leader, AI strategist and advocate for inclusive digital transformation. Over more than two decades, she has advised governments, multilateral organisations, investors and private-sector leaders on technology policy, digital transformation and innovation across Africa and globally.

She is the Founder and CEO of iamtheCODE, an African-led global movement operating in nearly 90 countries that equips women and girls with coding, artificial intelligence, digital literacy and future-of-work skills, particularly in underserved and crisis-affected communities. – SAnews.gov.za
 

The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has warned property owners who lease their properties to spaza shop owners that failure to comply with land use, zoning and other municipal by-laws could result in enforcement action.

This as the municipality in the Eastern Cape intensifies compliance inspections.

The municipality said some property owners have been reluctant to submit the required compliance applications because they fear that changes to their financial status could affect benefits received through the Assistance to the Poor Programme (ATTP).

According to the municipality’s By-law Enforcement Task Team which is coordinated through the Office of the Chief Operating Officer, compliance levels remain low despite ongoing enforcement efforts launched following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s call for all spaza shop operators and property owners to register and comply with applicable legislation.

In November 2024, President Ramaphosa called for all spaza shops and food-handling facilities to register with their respective municipalities.

The task team said inspections have also discovered widespread non-compliance with food handling and related public health by-laws.

The municipality reminded property owners and spaza shop operators that compliance is not optional but is required in terms of applicable national legislation and municipal by-laws.

“Businesses operating within Nelson Mandela Bay must comply with the provisions of the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act, 2013 (Act 16 of 2013) (SPLUMA), the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Land Use Scheme and Zoning Scheme, as well as the Municipality’s applicable by-laws governing business operations.

“In addition, all businesses that prepare, store or sell food must comply with Regulations Governing General Hygiene Requirements for Food Premises, the Transport of Food and Related Matters (R638 of 2018), together with the Municipality’s Public Health By-laws,” the municipality said.

The municipality said these legislative prescripts empower municipalities to enforce compliance in the interest of public health, food safety, proper land use and the protection of communities.

The municipality said the By-law Enforcement Task Team is expected to intensify inspections from this week, with a special focus on spaza shop registration and licensing, land use and zoning compliance, and adherence to food safety and hygiene standards.

The multi-agency task team includes the South African Police Service, Metro Police, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Security Services, Human Settlements Directorate, the Border Management Authority, the Eastern Cape Liquor Board, the municipality’s Public Health Directorate, Traffic Services and other relevant stakeholders. – SAnews.gov.za