The Department of Labour (DOL) has appointed Thabo Sefali as its new CIO.

Sefali has already started in his new position.

The department says he joins it at a time when it is in the throes of “an exit plan from a 10-year billion-rand public private partnership (PPP) with Siemens”. It adds that Sefali will drive the post-PPP ICT strategy.

“Sefali will be responsible for all ICT-related functions, as well as playing a role in developing and execution of the DOL’s new ICT strategy.”

The new CIO says the strategy is in the final leg of drafting and will be unveiled at the end of this month for approval.

Sefali started his journey into IT in 1995, when he registered for a computer programming course at WS & L Training College, in Cape Town.

He says he became fixated with IT during his involvement in youth development organisations, and also realised how technology could be used for social development and advancement.

Sefali previously worked for financial services group Old Mutual, consulted for Anglo American and Anglo Gold as an independent contractor through an IBM contractor programme, and between 2000 and 2006 he joined retail group Woolworths as an analyst programmer and left as IT process manager.

He then joined the public sector where he worked as IT operations manager in the Department of Water Affairs until 2008. He later branched into rural development and land reform where he was appointed as IT director.