Posted by Administrator (admin) on Dec 17 2008

EMPOWERMENT GAINS AS STATE TECHNOLOGY AGENCY AWARDS TENDER TO 31 CONSORTIUMS

By Thabiso Mochiko

Johannesburg - Thirty-one consortiums will benefit from a R2.5 billion tender awarded yesterday by the State Information and Technology Agency (Sita).

The much-delayed and controversial seat management services tender has three components: outright purchase of the information and technology equipment, a lease-purchase option, and the provision of services.

Consortiums would supply computers, software, and information and technology services to national departments and all the nine provinces for five years.

The suppliers include listed companies such as Pinnacle, Mustek, Bytes Technologies, Datacentric and AST Group, as well as international companies Siemens, IBM and Hewlett-Packard.

Unlisted empowerment companies include New Dawn Technologies, CSS Tirisano, Sahara Systems, Zodwa Technologies, Gubevu IT Partnership and Rentworks.

Fifty-five companies bid for the outright purchase option of the tender and 35 for the leasing and services options.

Sita said the tender was spread to ensure appropriate geographic location.

Mavuso Msimang, Sita's chief executive, said the projected R2.5 billion would possibly be exceeded.

"In the meantime, we are going into due diligence, during which certain issues such as involvement of black economic empowerment and small and medium enterprises [SMEs] will be confirmed."

Londiwe Mthembu, the chairman of the selection board, said the allocation of the money would be determined according to the provincial budget, stressing that "empowerment and SME partners should also play an active role and should be paid for the services they provide".

Mthembu added that the gross value of the tenders should be given to the empowerment partners for work done.

Kola Gunguluza, the chairman of CSS Tirisano, said the tender would help to market the company, although it already had a presence in four provinces. It is 75 percent owned by Born Free 220, 19 percent by historically disadvantaged individuals and the rest by employees.

Zowa Technology's managing director, Isaac Zowa, said the tender "gives us an opportunity and ability to render service to the government and to showcase our talent as well as provide excellence service.

"It will also enable empowerment companies like us ... to prove that we can provide good service like big companies."

Zowa Technologies, which is 60 percent owned by Zowa and 40 percent by Richard Trix, employs 15 people. Its clients include the Road Accident Fund, Gauteng Shared Services and municipalities.

Ferdi van der Merwe, the general manager of Gubevu IT, said the tender "will help us operate independently, since we are part of the Mustek Consortia.

"We buy products from Mustek and sell to our clients." Gubevu is a 50:50 venture by Gubevu Holdings and Hux Technologies, and employs 50 people.

Gary Naidoo, the marketing manager of Sahara Systems, said the company was passionate about its product and "whether the tender is small or big we definitely appreciate being part of the process".

Sahara is privately owned and employs 320 people.

Published on the web by Business Report on November 30, 2004.

Last changed: Dec 17 2008 at 10:04 AM

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