SITA supports investigation into procurement of 22 laptops for R2 million

[Daniel Puchert]

Questions about education department spending R2 million on 22 laptops

The State Information Technology Agency (SITA) says it supports calls for an investigation into the procurement of 22 laptops at over R2 million by the Mpumalanga Department of Basic Education.

This comes after the MEC for Education in the province, Landulile Cathrine “Cathy” Dlamini, told provincial MPs that her department had procured the laptops through “the SITA contract”.

 

[KikzAzz]

a discrepancy of R375.84 per laptop. ??

 

[bwana]

a discrepancy of R375.84 per laptop. ??

R91,858.34 - R91,482.50 = ...

Dlamini was responding to a question-and-answer session in the provincial legislature last week and said the new laptops cost R91,482.50 each.

However, the total amount came to R2,020,883.45, which results in an average price of R91,858.34 — a discrepancy of R375.84 per laptop.

 

[Corelli]

What you will find is that they get leased, like a rent to buy process, so you can pay 10x the price for one which includes monthly service, some specific software and so on.

Thats how they smuggle this money.

I once had to buy some software from Dimension Data.

It was 2 million for the software and 10 million (2 million a year) for maintenance and supposed updates. After the 1st update I terminated the maintenance contract. They had no clue how to maintain it and I did it all myself. When the new version came around 6 years later, they refused to sell it to me unless I pay them the entire 10 million for the lease first. I ended up with another provider.

Dont look at the selling price, look at the lease price and maintenance contract. Thats where they wouldve inflated the cost. The amount of conmen in the IT business is immense. One now runs a political party. He tried to sell my dad a copy of Windows XP, saying Microsoft gave him authorisation so that he can make as many copies as he wanted. Luckily my dad called me.

 

[dualmeister]

This type of thing happens everyday. The state is paying inflated prices all the time to support their BEE comrades.
Nothing will come of this and no heads will roll as usual.

 

[RaptorSA]

When you gotta game you gotta game.
You try sitting all day doing nothing and see how long you can last without going crazy.

 

[system32]

R91,858.34 - R91,482.50 = ...

Make it make sense...

They upset at R375.84 higher price and not the fact they paid 4x the cost.

Good laptops for "administrators and school managers use" are typically ~R20,000
eg. Dell Dell Inspiron 3520 with 10C, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Windows 11 Pro, 15.6" screen, Bag, 3 Yr Maint

They payed R2,020,883 where they should have paid R440,000 - stole R1.58m

Tlali said the unit price at which these laptops were sold to the client has exceeded the threshold for a BEE racist mark-up permitted under this transversal contract.

FTFY.

 

[lunch]

100 grand for a school laptop is crazy work

 

[dualmeister]

These "tender entrepreneurs" tried the same thing with Stellenbosch University.
They required 5 laptops and knew how much the RRP was. For that same amount they could only get 1 laptop via the required BEE requisites.
So they told them to tsek and cancelled the tender.

 

[Brawler]

Reminds me of a presentation I saw last year.

A government department (with support of an ngo) made a pretty basic video about one of their initiatives and in the presentation they shared a photo of the video being edited.


Isn't this some ridiculously expensive Mac?

 

[Easter Bunny]

Reminds me of a presentation I saw last year.

A government department (with support of an ngo) made a pretty basic video about one of their initiatives and in the presentation they shared a photo of the video being edited.
View attachment 1815213

Isn't this some ridiculously expensive Mac?

currently the most expensive imac at macnificent is R67999

Apple iMac 24" M4 32GB/2TB (10 Core CPU & 10 Core GPU)

Supercharged with the M4 chip and Apple Intelligence, the Apple 24" iMac delivers performance boosts to everyday activities and intense workloads. Specifications- 32GB Unified Memory- 2TB Storage- 10-Core CPU- 10-Core GPU- 16-core Neural Engine- 24-inch 4.5K Retina display- Four Thunderbolt 4...

www.macnificent.co.za

 

[Brawler]

currently the most expensive imac at macnificent is R67999

Apple iMac 24" M4 32GB/2TB (10 Core CPU & 10 Core GPU)

Supercharged with the M4 chip and Apple Intelligence, the Apple 24" iMac delivers performance boosts to everyday activities and intense workloads. Specifications- 32GB Unified Memory- 2TB Storage- 10-Core CPU- 10-Core GPU- 16-core Neural Engine- 24-inch 4.5K Retina display- Four Thunderbolt 4...

www.macnificent.co.za

I dont know much about Macs but it looks like a R130 000 Mac Pro (Probably more) and R60000 studio display

Mac Pro

Mac Pro with M2 Ultra combines our most capable Apple silicon yet with PCIe expansion for the ultimate in workstation-class performance.

www.apple.com

Apple Studio Display

Studio Display. An immersive 27-inch 5K Retina display* with a 12MP camera with Center Stage, studio-quality mics, and six-speaker sound system. Pairs beautifully with any Mac.

www.digicape.co.za

 

[oros]

More snakes in the grass.... Getting bigger. Ridiculous.

 

[kolakidd]

The actual issue is that our government is incredibly efficient at setting up structures where fingers can be pointed in many directions, so that no one ever has to really assume the blame.

At every level, from local municipalities to ministers, a finger can be pointed in a million directions. It always takes a commission to untangle it, which takes years and ultimately goes nowhere.

It's the perfect engine for wealth extraction with zero risk of blame.

Reminds me of a presentation I saw last year.

A government department (with support of an ngo) made a pretty basic video about one of their initiatives and in the presentation they shared a photo of the video being edited.
View attachment 1815213

Isn't this some ridiculously expensive Mac?

The NGO paid for that editing setup, not the Dept. There is a UK Arts NGO that specifically focuses on training people in film and editing, it's been active in SA since the ealry 90's

Any NGO that wants to be effective in SA must do its work quietly and allow the government to take the credit. It's standard practice, unfortunately, and being in those negotiations would literally make you want to vomit. That's why not many people were aware that NGOS and NPOS were running our entire HIV adherence program until USAID decided to pull funding.

 

[SilverCode]

I can see how this happens.

An Apple MacBook Pro 16 M4 Max with 48 GB RAM and a 1 Tb hard drive is R85k. Throw in a Gucci laptop bag, an extended warranty, Microsoft Office License and you could easily hit the R95k mark without skimming off the top.

These people probably wanted to use the fancy new AI thing everyone is talking about, so they can do no work and still look like they are being productive. The sales man saw $$$'s and sold them the most expensive thing he could explaining that it is what they needed to run AI. A Google search would reveal that a 48 GB laptop would indeed be very good at running AI, so they went for it (it isn't like it is their money!).

What I don't understand, is why SITA doesn't have a standard procurement list where you specify the level of work you need a laptop for (ie. simple desk job, managerial job, desktop publishing, developer etc) and then they have a set laptop along with an agreement with Dell/Levono/MSI/Acer whoever to buy those set laptop in bulk at a discount as a preferred supplier.

 

[Jam Sandwich]

Thats so ballsy of SITA...
Bravo...

 

[LCBXX]

Investigation = Time allowed to cover up and manipulate evidence.

It's 2025, checking systems to see where the swindling started takes 45min.

 

[Mzala]

R91,858.34 - R91,482.50 = ...

Laptop - R91482.50 each x22
Printer HP R8268.45 each x1

Total : R2,020,883

There is no discrepancy on the amount. The total on the invoice is correct for 22 laptops and a printer.

What is clear is that they did not need laptops that costs R91482.50 each
If specs of the laptops that were delivered costs R91482.50 each, then there has not been any stealing of money.
Then maybe the issue is just wasteful expenditure by buying high end equipment for a job that could be done by a standard laptop

 

[Bad Ballie]

Another day, another ANC con job.

 

[Gudnews]

Corruption is not the enemy some people think it is, incompetence is the bigger enemy. You'll find corruption in the most advanced economies, but fewer examples of this particular kind, the kind that bludgeons and cripples behind it's blunt incompetent blade.