The Black IT Forum, an organised community of previously disadvantaged individuals in the IT and telecoms space, has sent a letter to Public Service and Administration minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi requesting a meeting.
The request follows the week-long drama surrounding the resignation of State IT Agency (SITA) CEO Llewellyn Jones.
This morning BITF chairman Mthunzi Mdwaba confirmed the organisation was aware of the controversy surrounding the breakdown in relationship between Jones and DPSA-appointed SITA deputy-chairperson Michelle Williams.
ITWeb also asked Mdwaba to comment on the legal principles of the SMS allegedly sent to Jones by Williams. This SMS read: "CONFIDENTIAL: Hi llew, I hav had so many different versions on which company won bus process & why. I hav decided not to use gijima & wud like to award to praxis. Let me know what needs to b done & when to expedite. Rgds michelle"
However, Mdwaba refused to comment.
"We have sent a letter to the minister seeking a meeting. We will not be making a statement to the media until such time that meeting is concluded," he said.
"Extremely agitated"
Nevertheless, several of the BITF's 1 000 strong membership have revealed the organisation is outraged by the developments emerging from both the DPSA and SITA.
"There has been much discussion between members at SITA's GovTech conference in Durban this week. The organisation has been rocked by these developments and is extremely shocked and agitated," said one businessman.
Another industry player commented that the role of the BITF is to promote the development of the ICT industry, as well as the representation of the previously-disadvantaged in the sector.
"This is a disgrace. We cannot afford to have tender processes meddled with. Corruption is bad for everyone - the sector, government and the SA public. The companies involved in this specific tender are satisfied that the tender process was conducted properly. To sideline this process and appoint a significantly lower scoring applicant is very concerning. Williams did not even ask that the evaluation process be repeated, she unilaterally decided on an applicant that suited her best," he said.
BITF members also claim they are concerned that Williams is being positioned, or is attempting to position herself, to take Jones's role at the head of SITA.
"This would be of great concern to the industry even if the allegations of corrupt practices prove to be incorrect. The fact is Williams does not have the competence or the experience to operate as the DPSA's CIO, let alone lead SITA. Prior to this stint at the DPSA, Williams was a programme director at Siemens. This is hardly a track-record which encourages confidence in her ability to co-ordinate industry solutions to the needs of all citizens."
This morning, Williams declined to comment on the assertions.
All above board
Meanwhile, the Department of Public Service and Administration has moved to dispel concerns of tender irregularities or corruption.
In a formal statement, the department explained that the regulations issued under the SITA Act stipulate that the accounting officer of the client department makes the final decision following recommendations from the SITA Bid Committee. Should the accounting officer decide to deviate from the Bid Committee's recommendation; treasury, SITA and the Auditor-General must be informed of the reasons for the decision.
"Williams' [SMS] communication with Jones pertains to a tender for the business process management for the Departments of Home Affairs, Social Development and Justice (tender 348/2008). The director-general of the DPSA, as its accounting officer, has not made a decision yet on which service provider to be awarded [this] tender," it explained.
"Williams brought to the attention of the Minister and DG of the DPSA, as her political and administrative principals, respectively, a discrepancy in the weighting the DPSA requested for the tender and the weighting applied during the SITA's Bid Committee's evaluation. The DG sought clarity from SITA on the weighting, and it was agreed with Jones to seek advice from National Treasury on the weighting and its application to this tender. After receipt and consideration of National Treasury's advice, the appropriate steps to take will be determined by the DPSA as the client department," it concluded.
The department has also urged the market not to confuse this tender with the higher valued tender for the supply and implementation of the next generation e-Government platform and related services (tender 644/2008). This tender is still to be evaluated by SITA's Bid Committee.
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