"SITA will be working with SAPS on the modernisation of their network programme by redesigning the SAPS network to replace redundant infrastructure and cater for secure modern technology capabilities. The upgrade programme is a strategic multi-year programme, that is important to transform key police services," says SITA CEO Blake Mosley-Lefatola.
The programme will support SAPS personnel with accurate and secure information that include the prevention and loss of dockets, and better vehicle and firearm control. The deployment of these applications requires an underlying network and hosting ICT infrastructure that has the capacity to accommodate important functional and security features related to e-Docket, firearm registration and automatic vehicle location.
It will also be used for connectivity of rural sites to SAPS systems. A value add to this programme is the cost-effective deployment of video and voice services on the new infrastructure. The current network infrastructure is obsolete, lacks capacity, and does not have the features to accommodate new generation applications.
SAPS have an estimated 3 000 police stations nationwide and to date approximately 50% of these sites have been upgraded. SITA will now upgrade 197 SAPS sites in this financial year at a cost of R350 million. The Police Strategy Plan states that a further 1060 sites will be upgraded during the 2013/2014 financial year.
SITA developed and manages the majority of the policing and crime management systems for SAPS to ensure that there is no failure or collapse of core policing systems. Since the inception of the upgrade programme in 2005, SITA has provided the SAPS with all ICT solutions, services and products related to this multi-billion rand project.
"SITA recently delivered the Phase 2 of the e-Docket system to eliminate theft and misplacement of case dockets, allowing police officers to work on case dockets online. This means that there is no loss of crime management information and data to unwanted elements. Furthermore we secured the SAPS network to ensure no interception of police communication by unwanted elements," says Mosley-Lefatola.
