For South African ICT companies, the public sector is both a gold mine and a minefield. Government is the single largest buyer of technology in the country. However, a series of bungled public sector tenders has shaken the industry’s faith in the procurement processes followed in this key market.

Every year, numerous high-profile government tenders are postponed or even completely shelved while the results of many others are challenged in court by bidders amid accusations of corruption or incompetence.