SITA Inverse Web Proxy Server
The requested URL could not be retrieved
While trying to retrieve the URL:
http://www.national.archsrch.gov.za/sm300cv/smws/sm300dl
The following error was encountered:
Connection FailedThe system returned:
(60) Operation timed out
The remote host or network may be down. Please try the request again.
Your cache administrator is sitasc@sita.co.za.
The computer systems are used by the archives staff, and by researchers in such topics as history and genealogy, either remotely via the web, or at the archives themselves.
When researchers began reporting that the system was inaccessible last weekend, there were some jokes about civil servants not working at weekends, and people expected the system to be up and running again by Monday or Tuesday at the latest.
When it wasn't, people began looking a bit more closely at this "SITA", and discovered that it is not run by civil servants at all. It seems that a lot of the state's information and computer services have been privatised. SITA's web site tells us
SITA is committed to leveraging Information Technology as a strategic resource for government
SITA was established in 1999 to consolidate and coordinate the State’s information technology resources in order to achieve cost savings through scale, increase delivery capabilities and enhance interoperability.
It also tells us that it is SITA (Pty) Ltd, which means that it has been wholly privatised.
Perhaps it is time for some investigative journalists to start looking into SITA and how it operates, who it is responsible/accountable to, if anyone. Privatising an important strategic resource for government somehow doesn't seem like a good idea.
No comments:
Post a Comment