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SITA CALLS UPON
INDUSTRY TO END CORRUPTION
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Sita has conducted research into allegations of
corruption and
urges industry-wide action
 The
business of procuring technology on behalf of government places
SITA in a sensitive position where the possibility of corruption
and fraud is a very real one. The agency says it takes
allegations and the possibility of these activities seriously
and it has concluded research into reports from the media and
other quarters. These results were presented at GovTech 2009 by
acting CEO and chief of strategic services for SITA, Moses
Mtimunye.
In his keynote address on Monday, Mtimunye said that his
organisation acknowledges that it is standing on the threshold
of another watershed moment, given the expectations from
citizens and the need to use information and communication
technology (ICT) to deliver on government's agenda. As such,
SITA must tackle the issue of corruption and fraud.
Mtimunye outlined the role of SITA to improve citizen
convenience, reduce government's cost of doing business and
improve its efficiency while enabling integration between
departments and other bodies of government.
He said that the ICT industry in South Africa needed to become
more transparent, more open and more fair with each other.
"The focus of ICT acquisition should be citizen-centric," he
stated, adding that SITA had spent R10 billion in procurement.
"That is a big number, but that is not all of it. And there is a
lot of shenanigans playing themselves out as people want their
piece of that pie," explained Mtimunye.
He said that the media had reported allegations against SITA,
including tender irregularities, favouritism, 'javelin throwing'
and numerous others.
"The process of procurement is intrinsically prone to
allegations of this sort," he added.
"Procurement of goods and services is a major activity in
government and traditionally has been prone to fraud and
corruption, whether real or perceived," he continued.
"With the increased use of ICT in the functioning of entities
and the increased introduction of ICT systems, there needs to be
a understanding of perpetration of corruption and fraud," added
Mtimunye.
He said that SITA did not take these allegations lightly,
however.
"Over the past few years various allegations have been levelled
against SITA and its employees. Our chief of strategic services
commissioned a desktop survey to be undertaken to understand the
reality, degree and patterns of corruption in the organisation
as well as in the general government ICT acquisition value
chain," he explained.
According to Mtimuye, the research revealed a tendency to blame
SITA for fraud, while suggesting that the rest of the ICT
industry is innocent. Often the source of allegations, said
Mtimunye, is a misunderstanding of SITA processes, or
disgruntled providers that have lost tenders and fabricate
stories of fraud to explain why.
The findings indicated that corruption and fraud in SITA are a
reality and have caused reputational consequences for the
organisation. However, Mtimunye said this problem was not
confined to Sita only, as there are many other players involved.
He promised that SITA would act against all forms or hints of
wrong doing, but was quick to add that the ICT industry had been
playing victim for too long and should perform an active role in
stamping out corruption and fraud.
"SITA has implemented a 'new gifts' policy intentioned to
protect our employees and the organisation," said Mtimunye.
"The organisation is employing systems to help detect and build
cases against corruption and fraud practices; hence the cases
against employees."
He suggested that the entire industry commit itself to stamping
out the problems of corruption and fraud.
"Let's all adopt a zero-tolerance approach," he concluded.
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