<\/p>\n
On an unannounced oversight visit to the Pretoria Master\u2019s office following numerous complaints, Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi saw for herself the dysfunction of its IT system.<\/p>\n
She said the disruption of services at an office that provides \u201ccritical support to members of the public\u201d was concerning.<\/p>\n
Read:<\/p>\n
State spends billions, IT systems still failing
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She has now asked the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Hawks to probe the department\u2019s digitisation project. SIU spokesperson Selby Makgotho confirmed the minister\u2019s referral.<\/p>\n
The minister said she expects \u201ca thorough account of what transpired with the digitisation project\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny evidence of misconduct, negligence, corruption or deliberate actions \u2026 will be dealt with decisively,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The digitisation project was meant to speed up and improve services. But it has dragged on for years, remains unfinished, and appears to have had the opposite effect on efficiency.<\/p>\n
Kubayi said the project contributed to service disruptions at courts and Masters\u2019 offices in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.<\/p>\n
She expressed concern over allegations that the service provider, Veritas Engineering and Project Management Consultants (Pty) Ltd, was \u201cdenying\u201d officials access to state records.<\/p>\n
Veritas systems are implemented across various justice offices within the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, including high courts, magistrates\u2019 courts, labour courts and Masters\u2019 offices.<\/p>\n
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Read:<\/p>\n
Is this the worst Master\u2019s Office in SA?<\/p>\n
Spokesperson for the minister Palesa Rammitlwa told GroundUp that Veritas sent a letter, apologising for the disruption, blaming \u201cinstability within the department\u2019s network infrastructure\u201d.<\/p>\n
She confirmed that \u201caccess to the Veritas portal has been restored\u201d and officials are currently addressing the backlog of transactions.<\/p>\n
The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DoJ) said\u00a0the investigation will probe whether the contract gave a private company access to government records, whether government policies and laws were followed, whether the contracts provided value for money, and whether departmental negligence contributed to the collapse of services.<\/p>\n
GroundUp contacted Veritas, who referred us to its legal representative. David Vleck of Cox Yeats said it was the first he was hearing on the matter and could only act on instruction.<\/p>\n
Years of dysfunction<\/p>\n
Digitisation was intended to address growing volumes of records, limited storage space, slow retrieval of files and poor access to records across the DoJ. The department also wanted to make it easier for people to lodge matters.<\/p>\n
The project was first significantly disrupted by a September 2021\u00a0ransomware attack\u00a0that took systems offline. While services were subsequently restored, they remained far from satisfactory.<\/p>\n
Veritas was first appointed in 2022 for off-site storage of physical records together with scanning, indexing and retrieval services.<\/p>\n
Rammitlwa said Veritas was paid R413.2 million from the 2022\/23 financial year to October 2025.<\/p>\n
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The agreement is rate-based with a R49.8 million ceiling for the current period. The contract will end on 10 September.<\/p>\n
Veritas has given formal notice that it does not wish to extend the contract.<\/p>\n
Rammitlwa said a new contract will be awarded since digitisation forms part of its approved procurement plan for 2026\/27.<\/p>\n
Government\u2019s ICT failures<\/p>\n
GroundUp has repeatedly reported on delays at\u00a0Masters\u2019 offices\u00a0with digital issues often cited.<\/p>\n
Read:<\/p>\n
Private sector steps in amid \u2018despicable conditions\u2019 at Johannesburg Master\u2019s Office
\nActing Chief Master speaks out about challenges facing the Master\u2019s Offices
\nSix months on and Joburg Master\u2019s Office is no better<\/p>\n
At the Johannesburg Master\u2019s, for example, lawyers\u00a0told GroundUp\u00a0in February that the office was struggling with backlogs, delays and glitch-prone digital platforms.<\/p>\n
Six months later, we saw that little\u00a0appeared to have changed.<\/p>\n
The Johannesburg office remained a \u201cpaper fortress\u201d, with files piled on floors and spilling into corridors. Lawyers said systems were frequently offline.<\/p>\n
There were also allegations that backlogs have contributed to a corrupt \u201crunner\u201d system in which people pay intermediaries to get matters dealt with more quickly, despite services at the office being free.<\/p>\n
In December 2025,\u00a0Kubayi said\u00a0that the department had already identified problems with its broader Information and Communication Technology contracting.<\/p>\n
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A review had found over 20 vendors whose contracts were poorly managed or inadequately monitored, including contracts that had been repeatedly renewed.<\/p>\n
The minister said the department had accelerated the Master\u2019s office turnaround strategy, with private-sector partners helping stabilise its payment system.<\/p>\n
Several matters had been referred for criminal investigation.<\/p>\n
Read:
Master\u2019s offices left rudderless due to lack of \u2026 masters
Johannesburg and Pretoria Masters\u2019 offices still without permanent heads<\/p>\n
The Public Servants Association (PSA), representing more than 250 000 public-sector employees, said \u201cpublic servants and citizens have suffered the consequences of dysfunctional systems, with court processes, administrative functions, and communication channels severely disrupted\u201d.<\/p>\n
They added that it has \u201cundermined service delivery, eroded trust in the justice system, and placed additional burdens on overstretched staff\u201d.<\/p>\n
The proposed investigation, the PSA says, should serve as a \u201cturning point\u201d for the government to treat digitisation \u201cas a genuine tool for service delivery rather than an opportunity for abuse\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u00a9 2026 GroundUp. This article was first published\u00a0here.<\/p>\n
#Justice #minister #refers #R415m #digitisation #contract #SIU #Hawks<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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