Minister reviews SITA shortlist

By Martin Czernowalow for SITA
Johannesburg, 09 Oct 2008

The shortlist of CEO candidates for the State IT Agency (SITA) was not presented to Cabinet yesterday, as was expected, and is being reviewed by public service and administration minister Richard Baloyi.

Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) spokesperson Ramona Baijnath said this morning that Baloyi, who took over the portfolio from Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi a few weeks ago, would like to consider the shortlist first.

“The new minister has only been in his position for a few weeks and has not had time to familiarise himself with all the issues. But there is nothing sinister about this; the list will be presented to Cabinet at its next meeting [next month],” she says.

SITA has been led by acting CEO Femke Pienaar since the abrupt resignation of Llewellyn Jones, an industry veteran who held the SITA top spot for less than a year. His sudden departure, amid allegations of government interference in SITA's tender evaluation process and a rift with government CIO Michelle Williams, has drawn fire from various industry quarters.

One of the most vocal critics of SITA, the DPSA, as well as former minister Fraser-Moleketi, has been the Black IT Forum (BITF).

BITF chairman Mthunzi Mdwaba lambasted Fraser-Moleketi for her handling of the Jones saga. He has subsequently also questioned the procedure for electing a new CEO, saying it lacks transparency and input from organisations such as the BITF.

Mdwaba last week said the forum is preparing a letter to Baloyi to seek a meeting with him and outline its concerns.

This morning, Mdwaba said the letter would most likely go out tomorrow. “Unfortunately, the long approval cycle [within the BITF] has held up the letter, but it will be sent tomorrow.”