Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has referred the Digitisation Project at courts around the country to the Special Investigating Unit (SUI) and the Hawks for investigation.
The project was rolled out five years ago to offices in the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces, including High Courts, Magistrates’ Courts, Labour Courts and Masters’ Offices to provide off-site records storage and digitisation.
According to the department, during an unannounced visit to the Master of the High Court in Pretoria on Wednesday, the Minister was informed that services had been disrupted due to “denial of access to the records by the service provider”.
“Instead of making it more efficient and faster to render services, the digitisation project is now at the centre of service disruption and service delay.
“What is more concerning to the Minister is getting feedback that State records are in the hands of a private company that has the power to refuse the department access to such records.
“In response to the serious findings emerging from the inspection, Minister Kubayi has referred the matter to the SIU and the Hawks for investigation,” the department explained.
Kubayi has asked law enforcement agencies to look at, among other things, the following:
- The nature of the contract that gave a service provider unfettered access to records that must be in the hands of the department and the right for such a private company sole possession of such records.
- Any violations of government policies and legislation when implementing the digitisation project.
- Value for money of the contracts versus the service delivered.
- Whether any official of the department has been negligent, leading to the collapse of the delivery of critical services to the public.
“The disruption of services at an office that provides critical support to members of the public is a matter of grave concern. I expect a thorough account of what transpired with the digitisation project.
“Any evidence of misconduct, negligence, corruption or deliberate actions that undermine service delivery and public confidence in the justice system will be dealt with decisively. Those responsible must be held accountable and face the full consequences of the law,” Kubayi warned. – SAnews.gov.za
