The Democratic Alliance has called on home affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, to release two investigative reports about its controversial, multibillion-rand IT project, “Who Am I Online”.

The project, which was awarded to JSE-listed IT group Gijima in 2007 has faced spiralling costs and controversy since its inception.

It’s valued at somewhere between R2,5bn and R4bn. However, when the initial contract was signed, the cost was pegged at R1,9bn.

The project, if successfully implemented, would result in the modernisation of all of home affairs’ core IT systems. The system is expected to link the Home Affairs National Identification System, better known as Hanis, to the systems operated by the SA Police Service and emergency services, as well the department of health.

However, the project has been in tailspin over the past eight months after the department cancelled the deal with no explanation, saying only that its contract with Gijima was invalid.

Gijima has maintained the contract is, in fact, valid and has since tried to resolve the issue out of court. It is Gijima’s largest deal with government and makes up 15% of the group’s annual revenue.

Since the cancellation, Gijima has decided to cut down on the number of staff it has dedicated to the project and has let many of the contracted workers contracts come to an end. Its share price has also taken a battering.

The project has already faced two investigations, one conducted by the auditor-general and the other by academic Harvey Wainer. Documents related to both have apparently been handed to Dlamini-Zuma, though their contents have not been published.

DA home affairs shadow minister Annette Lovemore says despite several requests to see the reports, the Dlamini-Zuma has not handed them over.

The DA will now request the reports using the Promotion of Access to Information Act.

“In the new year, we will request a presentation by the minister on the subject, to uncover the true facts behind the awarding of this contract and its subsequent cancellation,” says Lovemore.

She says someone will have to be held accountable for the money already spent on the project, which is reportedly R391m.

“This implies the department paid the company hundreds of millions of rand without a valid or legally binding contract being in place. We want to know why,” she says. — Staff reporter, TechCentral