INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY STRATEGIC SESSION CHARTS A ROADMAP TO IMPROVE ICT INNOVATION AND OPERATIONS IN DPWI

Article by Lunga Mahlangu and Pictures by Thobi Langa

The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Chief Directorate conducted a three day strategic planning session aimed at improving operations and capacitating the department's ICT services. The three day session was held from 12 February to 14 February 2025 at the department's ICT offices in Johannesburg. The aim of the session was to address numerous critical challenges and weaknesses which hamper the efficiency of ICT operations in the department and therefore, demoralising employees' confidence in obtaining quality service from ICT.

The session comprised of representatives from the department's various regional offices who were delegated to outline, engage and source resolutions for their respective offices as they encounter numerous challenges with ICT services. This is mainly due to lack of adequate resources which is counterproductive to staff members’ work output and subsequently affects their key performance areas. The Internal Audit unit, Finance unit and Strategic Planning unit also gave advice on critical and complex financial issues which affect budgeting and the procurement of ICT equipment. This also serves to align the ICT strategy to the department's overall strategy.

• Lack of support and communication from head office to regional offices,
• Performance and efficiency of ICT operations,
• Lack of UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) in some regional offices when there's electricity issues and/or load shedding,
• Over reliance on consultants at expense of hiring and empowering young people in the department,
• Overstretching of technicians as a result of staff shortages,
• Duplicating of duties and responsibilities within ICT unit,
• Cyber-attacks on ICT system that led to department losing money,
• Poor network coverage which affects operations and hinders service delivery,
• Non-alignment of units within ICT work, due to lack of synergy in the department,
• Lack of policy regarding the lost and recovery of ICT equipment,
• ICT's slow pace in keeping abreast with new ICT technical advancements.

Speaking at the session, DDG: GRC and ICT, Lwazi Mahlangu, mapped a roadmap which the department needs to adhere to in order to ascend to the summit of ICT excellence. This will set the department on an upward trajectory, to resonates with the ICT's core function of efficient, reliable and technological advancement. He further explained that the session forms part of Minister DeanMacpherson's vision for ICT priorities which aim to enhance and support the organisation's ICT services and performance plan, and the restructuring of ICT to provide support and improve efficiencies.

The ICT audit findings proved to be a thorny issue as the DDG earmarked it as a challenge for the department. These audit finding resulted in the low point which led to the cyber-attack which led to the department losing R300 million. He called for the strengthening of ICT anti cyber-attack systems to keep up with current trends so that we prevent such incidents from reoccurring.