SITA office in Pretoria.
Fresh drama is unfolding at the State IT Agency (SITA) after the Pretoria High Court suspended the interim board appointed on July 21 but reinstated the removal of directors.
ITWeb broke the news in July that the dispute arose from a major disagreement between Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Mondli Gungubele. He also dismissed the board of directors, chaired by Makano Moshidi, over the salary of then-physician Dr. Bongani Mabaso.
SITA, part of the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, is the government's IT procurement arm.
Mr Gungubele has ended his term as Deputy Speaker Moshidi. Dr. Stella Buvuma. Jimbini Hill. Matozi Ratsinvilani. Rendani Ramabulana. Oluwetu Zoliswa Ketsekare. and Dr. Chiriji Ratsitanga.
Mr Moshidi, Mr Ramabulani and Mr Ketsekile launched a judicial challenge seeking their removal from the board, and the court ruled in their favor last week.
In its judgment handed down on Friday, the court ordered: “The decision taken on July 18, 2023 or July 21, 2023 by the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies (first defendant) to dismiss the members of SITA’s board of directors remains pending.” Finalization of Part B of this document. ”
Secondly, it said that the decision by the Minister to appoint an interim board of SITA would be put on hold.
The court added that SITA's board of directors who were removed or dismissed on July 18, 2023 or July 21, 2023 will be reinstated.
The Minister was also ordered to pay the costs of this application on a political party and party customer scale.
Mondri Gungubele, Minister of Communications and Digital Technology;
The dispute concerned the adjustment of doctors' salaries, which required ministerial approval.
Mr Mabaso's remuneration has been increased to R4.5 million a year from his predecessor's R3.5 million, according to records seen by ITWeb.
Mabaso replaces Luvuyo Kayse, who was SITA's managing director.
Asked by ITWeb to comment on whether he would return to SITA as chair, Moshidi said: “I haven't thought about it yet, but it probably will happen.”
In a statement to ITWeb, the Ministry of Communications said: “The Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Mondli Gungubele, intends to appeal against the court's decision overturning his decision to dismiss several SITA directors. ” he said.
The court's decision comes as SITA faces a number of challenges, including competition for key executive positions.
Mr Mabaso also subsequently resigned from SITA. Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed Altron has hired him as group chief technology officer.
At the time of his appointment, Altron said Mabaso's role will include executing the group's development plans with a focus on artificial intelligence and data analytics, as well as expanding the platform ecosystem.
SITA has faced numerous hurdles over the past two decades.
These include allegations that customers are increasingly dissatisfied with corruption and mismanagement, lengthy procurement processes, unstable leadership and poor service delivery. The Auditor General also found this to be irregular.
