One of the perspectives of the Durban University of Technology’s (DUTs) ENVISION2030 is having green ecosystems to improve the efficiency of resource utilisation and decrease environmental risk. In aiming to adhere to making DUT green, the institution has embarked on the journey to obtain a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform to support primary Back Office functions such as Finance, Procurement, Human Capital Services, and Students Information System. More functions are planned for 2023 and beyond.

In terms of the key role player in this project, Dr Progress Mtshali, the DUT Chief Information Officer, was appointed as the overall Project Sponsor. He is supported by an esteemed team who are the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research, Innovation & Engagement, Prof Keolebogile Motaung, Acting Human Capital Services Director, Mr Mxolisi Msomi, Chief Financial Officer, Ms Nthanyiseni Dhumazi, DUT Registrar, Dr Maditsane Nkonoane and Director of Procurement, Ms Nonhlanhla Ruth Gumbi.

Giving insight into this project was Dr Mtshali who indicated that the aim of the initiative was to source and implement an ERP platform to support the improvement of internal efficiency, productivity, inventory monitoring, resource management, data analytics as well as to manage risks. The ERP platform is intended to eliminate data silos that currently exist and lead to data quality issues.

He relayed that a formal bid process was initiated to select two partners to support the implementation of a new ERP platform. He added that DUT started with the task of selecting the most suitable Project Management (PM) Partner as well as a System Integrator (SI) Partner.

“Over February 2022, the selection process was completed and over March and April 2022, the on-boarding of the successful bidders commenced. Accenture was selected as the System Integrator Partner of DUT and AdvisoryIT as the Project Management Partner (PM) to oversee the implementation of the new ERP project. A combination of ERP modules such as SAP Finance, SAP Procurement, SAP SuccessFactors, and Oracle PeopleSoft Campus Solutions would be implemented to drive the final solution,” he said.

Dr Mtshali commented that during the month of April 2022, all three parties collaboratively worked together to put in place the necessary structures and governance and so the project, aptly named #D!GITYZ was born.

As the leading global implementation partner for SAP, Oracle and Microsoft, Accenture was selected as the System Integrator (SI) Partner, uniquely positioned with the right set of assets and accelerators, alliances, team, credentials, transformation and change management skills to meet DUT’s requirements.

Accenture also has a wide presence in South Africa. For over 50 years, Accenture has been an ardent supporter of South Africa, its people, and its business.

The company is committed to fostering growth and adding value to the country through robust partnerships and their level 1 B-BBEE status is a testament to active participation in transformation, with many skills’ development initiatives ongoing as investment in the Nation’s youth and future.

Dr Mtshali elaborated on why such a project is so vital to the DUT community, saying that DUT strives to nurture a people-centred culture by fostering a culture of responsibility, inspiring innovation, providing curricula that stimulate creativity., adopting digital systems and processes that enable DUT to deliver optimally.

“Providing a compelling learning environment. To engender efficient business model, improving efficiency of resource utilisation, being productive citizens. developing adaptive graduates; leveraging novel knowledge for societal impact,” he said.

In line with DUT aspirations, #D!GITYZ has set clear objectives from the ‘get-go’.

• The main objectives are to have a foundational ERP platform, establishing a modern and modular and upgradeable ERP platform that will support future enhancements, upgrades and other benefits such as future OpEx costs.
• To implement standardised processes to streamline the system’s migration to a cloud solution.
• Establish and implement a digital platform to support DUT’s future digital aspirations.
• Bettering current data through data cleansing, improvements and implementation overall data management.

Accenture’s Sibusiso Dantjie, Client Account Lead said: “D!GITYZ is aimed at enabling DUT to elevate its role to that of a Leading, Trusted and Digitally Transformed Institution in the Higher-Ed ecosystem. Leading in market, mind share and in delivery. Trusted as relevant and committed to success. Digitally Transformed from a 360° end-to-end perspective, fundamentally changing how DUT operates across systems, processes and people dimensions.”

Pictured: Dr Progress Mtshali.

Lelani Viljoen/Waheeda Peters