Parliament, Thursday, 5 April 2018 – The Portfolio Committee on Police has noted media reports indicating that a State Information Technology Agency (Sita)-appointed service provider is threatening to terminate essential software services due to non-payment.
The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Francois Beukman, said such a step will have a negative impact on policing and service delivery in the policing environment. “The situation is untenable and national police management must address the matter as a priority,” Mr Beukman said.
“The committee is of the view that the quality of the management of procurement and the contract management of technology in the South African Police Service (Saps) is far below par, and urgent intervention is needed by the National Commissioner to clean up the environment.”
Mr Beukman said the status of some of the procurement agreements entered into by Saps and Sita are a major business and security risk to the organisation. “Contingency plans must be in place to avert any threat or interruption of business and software systems.”
Several irregularities in contracts were recently pointed out by the Independent Police Inspectorate Directorate during a briefing to the committee. “The committee expects the National Commissioner to launch the necessary investigations into the specific contracts, service providers and Saps members involved,” Mr Beukman said.
The situation raises serious questions about the procedures for vetting service providers and of service level agreements sponsored by Sita and the Saps technology department.
The committee will discuss the current state of affairs and remedial action taken by police management during the budget hearings in two weeks’ time and have a special hearing on Saps technology procurement in June 2018.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON POLICE, MR FRANCOIS BEUKMAN.
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