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Recent regulatory developments may provide home affairs with greater flexibility in sourcing ICT services.
Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber. Picture: Twitter
Ongoing information and communication technology disruptions across home affairs offices are due to a combination of aging infrastructure, power supply issues and ineffective support from the State Information Technology Agency (Sita) says Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber.
The minister’s response comes after questions from ANC MP Mosa Steve Chabane about the persistent technological challenges that continue to hamper service delivery athHome affairs offices nationwide.
The department’s digital infrastructure woes have resulted in frequent service interruptions, preventing citizens from accessing essential government services.
Home Affairs legacy systems and infrastructure challenges
Schreiber candidly admitted that his department “continues to experience persistent information and communication technology (ICT) downtime at its offices”.
He said that “the challenges stem from outdated legacy systems, intermittent power supply and limited responsiveness in maintaining and upgrading infrastructure”.
He further highlighted how external service providers have compounded these problems.
“Delays and inefficiencies in service provision from Sita have further exacerbated system unavailability, often leading to service disruptions that affect citizens’ ability to access essential services,” Schreiber said.
Financial constraints represent another significant obstacle to addressing these technological shortcomings, with Schreiber further admitting that the department faces ongoing funding constraints.
Schreiber said these funding barriers limit home affairs’ capacity to modernise critical infrastructure and ensure reliable connectivity across all sites.
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Home Affairs revenue generation and system improvements
To tackle these challenges, the department has implemented multiple strategic interventions.
Schreiber outlined that “one of the key interventions is the expansion of third-party data verification services, which will generate additional internal revenue to support system upgrades”.
The department has also taken steps to better understand its technological limitations through expert analysis.
“The department also commissioned a system diagnostic study through the CSIR, which resulted in actionable recommendations,” he aaid.
He confirmed that “implementation of these recommendations is currently underway and includes measures to improve system performance, network stability and operational oversight”.
New partnerships and governance measures
Recognising the need for external expertise, home affairs has sought new technological partnerships.
“Furthermore, new partners have been engaged to stabilise the department’s digital environment,” Schreiber said.
The department has simultaneously strengthened its internal management systems.
“Enhanced internal controls and governance processes have been introduced to improve system monitoring, reduce downtime and protect sensitive data,” according to the minister.
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Regulatory changes and alternative service delivery
Recent regulatory developments may provide the department with greater flexibility in sourcing ICT services.
Schreiber welcomed the recent regulations published by the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, in terms of the Sita Act. He said these would enable more responsive sourcing of ICT services.
Malatsi published the new regulations that give government entities some freedom to outsource their IT systems independent of Sita.
The condition is that the departments need to demonstrate that their procurement of these IT systems outside Sita will cost less or work more effectively.
This regulation came into effect on 1 June. Its implementation came after senior government officials butted heads over Sita’s effectiveness.
Chairperson of the portfolio committee on communications and digital technologies Khusela Sangoni-Diko accused Malatsi of attempting to devolve powers away from the state-owned enterprise.
However, Malatsi denied these claims, saying that they were simply “devoid of truth”.
He explained that the Sita regulations give departments freedom to procure outside of Sita.
“To do so, departments must present a strong and viable business case within existing public procurement prescripts, with faster turnaround times and reduced costs.
This flexibility can improve public services for all South Africans by allowing the government to respond more quickly and use resources more efficiently – something long requested by many departments,” Malatsi said.
Setting the record straight on SITA regulations and EEPs📢 pic.twitter.com/DGaAb7H52H
— SollyMalatsi (@SollyMalatsi) April 9, 2025
Furthermore, the department is also exploring innovative approaches to service delivery that could reduce pressure on existing infrastructure.
“In addition, the department is exploring alternative service delivery channels, such as collaborating with third parties for service rollout in off-site or decentralised locations, to alleviate pressure on traditional office infrastructure,” Malatsi said.
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