CIO of the Department of Public Service and Administration Tandile Stuurman traces the beginning of her path to IT to her early exposure to computers and her father’s insistence on excellence. She now channels that influence to drive adoption, strengthen cybersecurity and build a failure-friendly culture.
When Tandile Stuurman first sat in front of a computer as a schoolgirl in East London, it was a moment that influenced her life and career. She couldn't, however, have imagined just how much it would direct her path into her future career. “My first encounter with a computer was there, and I thought, wow, this is cool! I want to work with computers,” she recalls. That spark was ignited in a maths, science and technology programme run through Itec, an organisation promoting Stem subjects in the Eastern Cape.
“At first, I thought I would study engineering, but after that exposure to computers, I wanted to understand how the whole thing worked – the backbone of technology, the value chain. That’s where my first love came in,” she admits.
Growing up in Butterworth, she describes herself as both “a township and a rural girl” which shaped not only her drive, but also her leadership values. “At home, my parents treated all my siblings and I the same. I never heard that I couldn’t do anything because I was a girl. My father always said, ‘You must do great, you must be better than you are now’. Both my parents valued their workplaces and they carried themselves with excellence. That has influenced me a lot.”
It is these lessons that underpin her leadership today. “As a team we forgive and support each other. That comes from how I was raised,” she explains. While she recognises that her leadership is underpinned by this influence, she still recognises that it is challenging.
“Leading people can be like holding up a mirror – you see your weaknesses reflected back. When I get feedback from my team, I realise I need to work on things. Leadership challenges your character and outlook. What’s obvious to you might not be obvious to others. It’s about being a learner in life,” she explains.
Inspiring her team
Tandile’s leadership style reflects both discipline and care. “Apparently I’m very strict,” she jokes, “but I’m also flexible and servant-orientated. I get my hands dirty when things are tough. I thrive in excellence, not perfection, and I own up to my mistakes. I’m a learner in this journey of life.”
She believes innovation thrives where mistakes are allowed. “I don’t like to box people. I allow mistakes to happen because fear of failure blocks innovation. For me, it’s not just about achievement, but about impact and learning,” she says.
Retention is always a challenge in the public sector, where private companies can lure talent with higher salaries. This is where she says influence again becomes a key differentiator.
“The reason I joined the public service was the love of my country. It is just about serving the people. And that on its own can make people feel like their jobs are important and that they are needed.”
She says her biggest reward is in implementing a new system or support that enhances colleagues’ ability to do their work: “When someone says ‘something that used to take me five days now takes me two hours’, it is fulfilling. If you have a heart for serving, it’s not difficult for you to stay in public service,” she explains.
Influencing transformation
For Tandile, influence is not abstract but rather, embedded in her role as CIO. “Problem-solving and the influence that technology brings to the organisation is what I enjoy most. We act as influencers. When there’s new technology, you must go and sell this thing. It’s fulfilling when people buy into that idea and you get the opportunity to influence how things are done.”
But, she balances that by noting that the real test is adoption: “When you’re doing things in your own corner, that’s the easy part. But it doesn’t mean people have bought into your vision. The real resilience is in getting them to adopt it,” she says.
And where visible change matters, she is equally realistic that the work behind the scenes is just as important. “When we do back-end projects like migrating to the cloud, I don’t feel that good about it because people don’t get to see that. For me, the whole idea is that we must bring transformation to the organisation.”
This includes a critical focus on data which she describes as central to her work. “Our role is to develop norms and standards, and compliance is informed by data. We face challenges with data silos, but we have pockets of excellence in data governance. We provide business intelligence reports and aim to improve integration. Part of automating processes is to ensure we have quality, integrated data. We’re also preparing for a future where we implement AI and want our data to be accurate and reliable.”
Integral to this, is integrating legacy systems with modern platforms. “The question is: do we integrate or move away? Some legacy systems, like PESAL, Logis and BAS have been around for over 20 years. The main focus is moving towards transformation and automation while dealing with legacy constraints,” she says.
The constant influence of cybersecurity
No area of Tandile’s work demonstrates the need for vigilance and influence more than cybersecurity. She is a Cyber50 honouree and is among a prestigious group of cybersecurity leaders recognised for their transformative influence and leadership within the sector. Even with this recognition, she believes her influence here needs to be constant.
“The biggest headache for everyone right now is cybersecurity – trying to make sure the organisation is resilient. That’s what keeps me awake,” she admits. Her approach blends governance, technology and people. “But the biggest asset is our people. We invest in training and awareness programmes, even though the staff occasionally perceive them as an inconvenience!”
She explains that her focus is also critical in driving constant improvement: “We also reskill and upskill IT staff, attend events and webinars and participate in the public service information security standing committee. From a governance perspective, we have policies, committees, risk assessments and regular reviews. Of course, in cybersecurity you can never say you’re 100 percent safe. We do our best, but we know the risks are always evolving.”
Even outside the office, influence plays a central role in how Tandile navigates life. On the busiest days, her productivity hack is simple: “I rock praise and worship. Silent prayers in between keep me going. Especially when I’m working on a report, praise and worship keeps me centred. Sometimes it’s not easy to get into the Bible or prayer, but worship reminds you and then your spirit is in place.”
When she does step away from her CIO role and her master’s studies, she gravitates towards the simple, grounding beauty of small towns. “I love holidaying with my family. I prefer small towns and rural-type holidays – coastal, mountains, forests and cabins. Small towns are just beautiful and well kept, and you can really know the culture of a place. That sense of community is something you don’t always get in the city.”
Tandile’s journey has been shaped by many influences: her first brush with a computer at Itec, her parents’ insistence on excellence, her drive to embed new technologies and her role in shaping her team’s culture and resilience against cyber threats.
At the centre of them all, however, is one defining influence: Tandile herself. “I don’t like to talk about myself a lot,” she insists, however, her story shows that her influence is not only the foundation of her own career, but also the legacy she is building as a leader, mentor and a servant of public good.
