SITA Appoints Portia Matsena as Chief Digital Officer
The State Information Technology Agency has named banking technology executive Portia Matsena to its chief digital officer post as it fills several senior roles.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in People
The State Information Technology Agency (SITA) has appointed Portia Matsena as its chief digital officer, Matsena announced on LinkedIn. SITA is filling several key executive positions, including supply chain management, client engagement, IT infrastructure services and the CDO role.
Why it matters
SITA develops, operates and maintains ICT services used by government departments, and it has often faced criticism for heavy reliance on manual systems. Under the agency's amended structure the chief information officer will report to the chief digital officer, so the appointment comes before a CIO is named.
Matsena previously spent two years as chief information officer at BankservAfrica, now PayInc, and served as acting group CIO of the South African Post Office. The CDO post was first advertised in 2024, and the timing of the CIO appointment remains unconfirmed.
The players
State Information Technology Agency (SITA)
SITA is a South African state entity under the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies that develops, operates and maintains ICT services for government departments.
Portia Matsena
Portia Matsena is a South African banking and technology executive whose career includes roles at Nedbank, Absa Group, BankservAfrica and the South African Post Office.
Magatho Mello
Magatho Mello is the managing director of SITA who informed Parliament in August that the agency was filling several executive positions.
The details
Matsena previously served as divisional executive for hyper-automation at Nedbank and as managing director for cash management at Absa Group. SITA managing director Magatho Mello told Parliament in August that the agency was looking to fill several executive positions, including the CDO role.
Timeline
2024: SITA advertised the chief digital officer post.
August 2023 to November 2026: Matsena served as divisional executive for hyper-automation at Nedbank.
2 November 2026: SITA's appointment of Matsena as chief digital officer was reported.
Market Landscape
SITA's restructuring places digital leadership above information technology management in its reporting lines, reflecting government pressure to modernise legacy systems and strengthen cyber security. The appointment follows the agency's 2024 advertisement of the CDO post and its subsequent push to fill its senior executive roles.
Residents who deal with government services may see changes in how digital systems are managed as SITA's new leadership takes shape. The timing of further appointments, including the CIO, has not been confirmed.
The takeaway
Leadership changes at SITA signal an effort to elevate digital strategy within South Africa's government technology operations. Watch for the CIO appointment, which will determine how the new reporting structure works in practice.
Further reading
Explore more People coverage to see other executive appointments shaping South Africa's public sector.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ITWeb.
