Clicking into the future, the rise of e-Government
JOHANNESBURG - The digital revolution is changing how governments around the world work.
From paperwork to power clicks, South Africa is also fast-tracking its digital future.
The country now ranks 40th on the United Nations global e-Government Development Index, climbing from 65th just two years ago.
Over 130 government services have already been digitised.
Professor Busani Ngcaweni from the Wits School of Governance says one major driver was the Covid-19 pandemic.
He says when the pandemic forced the country into lockdown, government had to rely on technology to continue delivering services.
That necessity drove rapid digital transformation.
But while progress is being made, the road ahead won't be without potholes.
Ngcaweni and other experts have stressed that digital transformation must strengthen public institutions, not weaken them.
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She said since it was owned by the national department, the province did not have to spend exorbitant money buying it. 'Departments are buying assets without a budget. We want to stop that. 'When you log into the system and you put in a requisition of what you need, then the system would ask you 'Do you have a budget' and the budget control would have to authorise the budget on the system and say 'yes, there is a budget' and the system would lock the estimated amount before you even start the process,' said Coetzee. She said the e-system would prevent the department's procurement officials from contacting suppliers they prefer for favours. She said the officials would indicate how many quotes they were looking for, and the system would go to the central supplier database to draw the number of suppliers that provide the commodity. 'Those quotations would not be accessible to anyone until the date for the quotations is closed. 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