The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) has suffered significant financial losses this year due to multiple breaches of its accounting system, Sage.

Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure Chairperson, Carol Phiri revealed that these attacks, which occurred in March, April, and November, resulted in an estimated R55 million loss.

Phiri criticized the Sage system, noting its repeated failures and the suspension of four employees, three of whom have since returned to work.

Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson has also acknowledged the system’s inadequacies and called for its replacement.

Acting Deputy Director-General Lwazi Mahlangu assured that an ICT steering committee is addressing the security issues, with new monitoring systems and stricter access controls being implemented.