SITA’s head office in Erasmuskloof, Pretoria. (Photograph by Lesley Moyo)
The incoming managing director (MD) of the State IT Agency (SITA) is expected to lead and oversee the implementation of the SITA 2025 – 2030 corporate strategy when he assumes his post.
This is according to Tlali Tlali, head of corporate affairs at SITA, who confirmed that the MD-designate is expected to officially take up his post on 1 April.
Magatho Mello was announced as the new SITA MD last December, a move that the communications ministry described as part of efforts to restore good governance, stability and performance at the agency.
SITA’s MD seat has been without permanent leadership since 2023, with several officials leading the agency in an acting capacity.
Mello will bring to the role industry insight and experience having held senior roles in technology firms, such as MTN SA, Ellies, IBM and Vodacom, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Commenting on the significance of filling the MD position, Tlali says: “It signals a focused intention to deliver on customer promises and the overall digital transformation agenda.”
An entity of theDepartment of Communications and Digital Technologies, SITA sits as a central pillar of government’s IT procurement. It is also responsible for developing, operating and/or maintaining ICT services consumed by government departments.
However, it has been plagued by leadership instability, governance, high staff attrition and performance challenges over the course of its more than 20-year history.
SITA’s staffing priorities were among the issues that came into focus last year, with the agency citing missed revenue targets for its inability to fill a few hundred approved vacancies.
In 2024, SITA said it was looking to fill five top management roles, including that of chief digital officer and executive for IT infrastructure services.
It’s been previously noted that the government’s IT procurement arm does not have a chief information security officer, chief information officer or chief operations officer.
According to Tlali, the several vacancies previously advertised have been “progressively filled at SITA at all levels in line with the approved structure”.
He adds thatthe new MD will have opportunity to assess the required leadership capabilities and prioritise filling of leadership roles in line with SITA mandate and customer needs.
“The filling of key roles will be done in accordance with the business requirements. We have taken steps to initiate the recruitment and filling of executive roles such as the chief financial officer following the departure of the postholder in November 2025.”
