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News24 reports that some 5,000 public servants work in information technology (IT) in the 161 government departments in SA.
This means a mere 0.4% of the 1.2 million public servants work in IT. This was revealed by Zaid Aboobaker, the chief director of e-government at the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), who was speaking this week at the GovTech conference in Durban. Aboobaker indicated that the figures were the most recent available, as independently established by the department. But he added that the figures were unpublished, though the department was trying to make the public sector aware of them. Aboobaker also said that half of the total number of public service IT workers were employed at nine of the largest government departments. Concerningly, about 16 government departments have fewer than three people in their IT departments. Aboobaker emphasised the importance of developing IT skills among the youth in the public sector. The DPSA also conducts expenditure analysis on information and communication technology procurement by government bodies. According to Aboobaker, it could take a government department up to six months to procure 10 laptops.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by William Brederode at News24
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