Recent events show a company doesn't necessarily have to adhere to minimum specifications to be awarded a tender. As much as I am interested in doing things the right way, and making sure everyone gets what they deserve, my sail has been a little deflated by the blatant way in which officials are turning a blind eye to dishonest activities.

Government CIO Michelle Williams recently demonstrated unashamed favouritism by telling then Sita CEO Llewellyn Jones, via SMS, that she preferred that one company be awarded a tender even though another had clearly won. Naturally, the industry was shocked, but government did nothing. Maybe it's something to do with its "business unusual" motto for the year. I understand that whatever company is awarded the contract, it could still do the work, but why even have the tender process when it is clearly irrelevant?

Where are all the so-called industry principles and ethics? Who is responsible for keeping the industry on the straight and narrow? It's funny how these incidences did not make it onto the recent presidential advisory council meeting agenda. The president sat, in a press conference next to public service and administration minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, speaking about the amazing progress achieved in furthering the country's ICT goals. However, he said nothing about her refusal to deal with events that have the potential to get out of control, even though she is one of the monitors of the relationship between the public sector and the industry. Perhaps the matter was dealt with behind closed doors, but why not at least acknowledge it had come to the committee's attention and was being dealt with? That, at least, would have given hope to many in the industry who are not here to make a quick buck, but actually want to see South Africa progress in the ICT arena.