The State Information Technology Agency (Sita) is embroiled in a storm involving the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi, who is at loggerheads with the recently reinstated board chairwoman.
Sita consolidates and coordinates the state’s information technology resources “to achieve cost savings through scale, increase delivery capabilities and enhance interoperability.”
The organisation is tasked with managing the IT procurement and delivery process “to ensure that the South African government gets value for money, increased productivity; qualitative solutions, services and products; and uses best practice IT approaches in its modernisation and the delivery of services to all citizens”.
Malatsi was recently ordered by the courts to reinstate Sita board chairwoman Makano Mosidi and two other non-executive directors.
However, Malatsi and Mosidi disagree on the implementation of a Pretoria High Court ruling stating that the board members who were fired by Malatsi’s predecessor Mondli Gungubele in July 2023 should be reinstated.
Makano’s argument, premised on the court order, is that all the non-executive directors who were in her board should be reinstated. However, Malatsi seems to disagree with this view as he only reinstated the board members who challenged Gungubele’s decision to axe them in court.
The dispute comes after Malatsi retained the interim board members that Gungubele appointed. President Cyril Ramaphosa has since appointed
Gungubele as Malatsi’s deputy minister.
Gungubele expelled the Sita board members following a fallout over its new managing director’s compensation and replaced them with an interim board.
Mosidi wrote to Malatsi telling him that he was fallaciously implementing the Pretoria High Court ruling.
“I will hate to see you held in contempt for not complying with the order.
“Acting Judge AJ Yende makes no mention of any integration but reinstatement as of July 18 2023. The court order is clear, anything outside that is contempt,” asserted Mosidi.
The court order was reaffirmed last month when the Supreme Court of Appeal shot down Gungubele’s attempt to challenge the high court order to reinstate the fired Sita board members.
When approached for comment, Mosidi told Sunday World the court ruling ordered that the interim board of directors should step down.
“The court ruling states that the board should be reinstated as of the 18 July 2023, meaning before [that] the interim board was illegally appointed,” she said.
Malatsi on September 6 wrote to the interim board members informing them of a decision to reinstate the three directors Mosidi, Rendani Ramabulana and Olwethu Ketsekile.
“The three directors will be reintegrated into the current Sita board, while I study the judgment and seek advice on best ways to implement the additional matters raised in the judgement,” he said.
Sita acting managing director Simphiwe Dzengwa revealed in an email, which Sunday World has seen, that he received a call from Malatsi instructing him that all board communication must be channelled via Dzengwa’s office, not the company secretary.
“Until the minister has instructed accordingly, no meetings of the board or its committees must be convened.
“For now, these are the instructions I will abide with until the minister instructs me otherwise.”
Mosidi confirmed to Sunday World that “the minister suspended all board meetings whilst he is still applying his mind to the court order. “So, the reinstated board hasn’t met because it’s only three of us now reinstated for now.”
Meanwhile, the Sita acting company secretary has resigned. The official, whose identity is known to Sunday World, in an email, which this publication has seen, cited threats by her fellow board members as the reason for stepping down.
She further asserted that she does not want to destroy a career she’s worked for many years to build.
The outgoing secretary addressed the resignation letter to Mosidi and non-executive director Kiruben Pillay. Pillay was the chairman of the interim board which Gungubele had appointed after he dismissed Makano’s board.
Sunday World understands that the individual was in fact acting on behalf of June Cornelius, who has been on maternity leave.
The current board comprises 15 directors.
Malatsi had yet to comment by the time of publication.
