Johannesburg – South Africa's Ministry of Interior (DHA) is pushing to be freed from the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) due to sustained system failures, delays and high costs.
The move aims to promote efficiency, cybersecurity and service delivery by partnering with private IT providers.
Why do Home Affairs want from Shita?
According to DHA's 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, the department has long struggled with SITA's inefficiencies, including:
Frequent system outages disrupt critical services such as immigration and biometric systems.
The procurement process has been delayed, leading to irregular spending.
Excessive costs compared to market rates and tension budgets.
Inadequate third-party management, worsening service disruption.
These issues have hindered critical projects such as the Biometric Motion Control System (BMCS) and the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), raising national security concerns.
Digital transformation and private sector partnerships
DHA is currently exploring partnerships with private IT providers to ensure stable, secure and cost-effective services.
This shift is part of the broader digital transformation strategy outlined in the 2024-2029 medium-term development plan.
“We are pleased to announce that we are a great opportunity to see the company's efforts to ensure that we are a part of the company's business,” said Livhuwani Tommy Makhode, Director of the DHA.
“DHA is severely underfunded and relies on critical services, particularly third parties for network connectivity. We are reassessing our relationship with SITA to ensure uninterrupted service delivery.”
He added: “Digital transformation is more than just technology. It requires protecting the operating system, business process overhauls, and skilled personnel to achieve their goals.”
Important issues driving division
System Downtime – Frequent crashes in SITA-managed data centers disrupt border control.
Delay in Procurement – Slow approvals lead to a gap between audit results and services.
Cost Overrun – SITA prices exceed market rates and emit DHA budgets.
Cybersecurity risks – The lack of 24/7 surveillance publishes sensitive immigration data.
What's next?
DHA is seeking the flexibility to apply for SITA's essential services exemption and procure IT solutions independently.
If approved, this could speed up modernization, improve service delivery and enhance national security.
As SITA struggles hamper progress, DHA's move towards private IT partnerships could be a game-changer for South Africa's immigration and identity systems.
Will this divorce lead to a more efficient and safe future?
Only time can be seen.
*This article was first published in our sister publication techfinancials.co.za
