Minister of Information, Communications, and Technology, Savannah Maziya, has stated that comprehensive digitization of government systems could eliminate up to 95 percent of corruption in public procurement.
Speaking at the Leveraging ICT to Spur Private Sector Growth and Competitiveness Indaba, Maziya emphasized that digital systems are essential to improving transparency, accountability, and efficiency in government operations.
“In procurement, 95% of the corruption problems we face would go away because you would know who entered the system, when they entered, and how they interacted within it,” she said.
The Minister described digitization not only as a technological upgrade but also as a structural reform essential to modernizing governance. Maziya explained that digital platforms enable real-time tracking, monitoring, and auditing of transactions, thereby reducing opportunities for manipulation and irregularities.
“If you cannot measure it, you cannot manage it,” she said. “We’ve got to get to the point where we’re serious about the business of government and about delivering for the citizens of this country.”
Her remarks came in response to concerns from the private sector about delayed government payments and procurement corruption.
General Manager of Umbuluzi Valley Sales, Morgan Rudd, challenged the government to address what he called a well-known problem: delayed payments to businesses. He argued that many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been crippled by late payments, with some allegedly forced to pay bribes to expedite payment.
“How many businesses have been handicapped because they have not been paid on time? Everything has been transmitted. Can the Ministry of ICT develop a framework that allows government creditors to check the status of their payments after submitting an invoice?” Rudd asked.
In response, Maziya highlighted reforms underway at the Ministry of Finance, particularly the introduction of the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS). She said the system would enhance monitoring of government transactions, including payments, and significantly curb corruption by improving traceability and accountability.
Urgency was a recurring theme in her address. Maziya warned that indecision and delayed reforms could have long-term consequences for the country’s competitiveness.
“The time to make decisions was yesterday,” she said. “The error of not making decisions and staying out of the room is potentially problematic.”
She noted that digital tools enable governments to intervene promptly upon detecting irregularities, preventing systemic failures from escalating.
Beyond curbing corruption, digitization accelerates service delivery, reduces paperwork, lowers administrative costs, and strengthens citizen trust. Maziya also emphasized the need for secure infrastructure, including modernized postal services, improved broadcasting systems, and an upgraded ICT backbone.
“The post office of today is not the post office we need. Events have outpaced it. We need to make it better and faster,” she said.