Plans are afoot to find a new service provider to take over the management of the self-proclaimed government “app store”, the DigiTech platform.
So says the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT), noting it is finalising the appointment process of the service provider.
The DCDT adds the takeover will include the platform’s redesign, hosting and maintenance, to ensure it delivers the high quality work it was established for as a distribution service for local apps.
The department explains: “This follows a review of the status of the platform due to a series of inherent operational deficiencies. We will ensure the new provider fulfils their contractual obligations to ensure DigiTech fulfils its initial purpose and provides value for SMMEs and the public.”
ITWeb was first to report on the launch of the platform, which was unveiled in May 2022 under the leadership of then-communications minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.
The DCDT-supported site was described as a platform for digital products/applications developed by SMMEs in SA.
According to the department, its purpose is to collect data on digital products developed in SA, with the aim of supporting the products’ technology enablement, and promoting and expanding their adoption and use.
Through DigiTech, the DCDT said it sought to promote South African-developed digital products in other markets, while facilitating partnerships with other countries on co-promotion of local technologies.
The communications ministry added that the platform serves as a digital distribution service developed, maintained and operated by the South African government.
However, its launch raised eyebrows, with reports stating it runs on outdated software, has security flaws and is downright terrible.
Incumbent communications minister Solly Malatsi also criticised the platform during his time as Democratic Alliance MP, saying it looked like a “Grade Eight IT project”.
In May 2023, ITWeb reported the platform had undergone a redesign at the cost of R743 644.95.
Despite the redesign, the DigiTech platform featured a security red flag. A reader alerted ITWeb to a security flaw in the DigiTech website that could allow anyone to login with the word “admin” as the username and password.
Following the alert from the reader, an ITWeb employee logged-in using “admin” as the username and password, and gained access to the backend of the site.
Once logged-in, a security notice popped up on the screen, with a warning to change the password. “The password you just used was found in a data breach. Google Password Manager recommends changing your password now.”
The DigiTech site also showed that @admin has been a “member for seven years, five months”.
News of the security flaw in the redesigned site was communicated to the department, which said it escalated the matter to the State IT Agency (SITA), which did the redesign of DigiTech.
The department said at the time: “According to SITA, the issue of the username and password to access the site being both admin has already been remediated/resolved.”
A recent report indicated the platform had not been operational for two months.
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