I am replying to the article “Lawyers riled by state IT deal” (Mail & Guardian, October 28 to November 3) on a supposed state information technology deal with Equillore.
The article contained unfortunate and misleading allegations and conclusions. Because it failed to reflect my written replies to the questions it is necessary to set out the key aspects and refute them in turn.
I am not speaking on behalf of the minister of justice and constitutional development, Advocates for Transformation (AFT) or even advocates Dumisa Ntsebeza and Ishmael Semenya.
- The article suggests an IT deal exists between the state and Equillore. This is not true. Our business is dispute enablement and not IT.
- The article suggests a government request that Equillore should develop a system and that this was because of relationships with the minister. This is not true. Equillore gains business on our commercial merits.
- The article quoted an AFT view that it would be open for Equillore to bid for the system development mandate. Albeit with appreciation of the view, Equillore would not bid for such a mandate as the work is outside our business focus.
- The article says the application could be sold to the government for millions of rands.
Equillore performed a small and free functional specification for AFT because we support the values and objectives of that organisation. Systems development for the open market falls outside our core business, whatever the commercial value of such work may be.
Back in the 1980s we dubbed the then Weekly Mail “the Bible”, for a host of reasons.
This opportunity to reply is consistent with the honourable traditions of the Mail & Guardian. It is also in line both with principles of fairness and the ethos of South Africa’s deliberative democracy.
Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this conversation; one we regard as effectively a debate on the probity of our political and commercial institutions. — Khanya B Motshabi, managing director Equillore Group